Published on: March 13, 2025
Content:
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
The complaints about expatriate quota abuses in Nigeria have remained largely unresolved.
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Sadly, it is most strident in the Oil and Gas industry.
The menace, again, came to the fore few days ago during the picketing of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Company Ltd by members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, over alleged breaches of expatriate quota, Labour laws among others.
However, another dimension was added to the protracted issue of the expatriate quota breaches, when the President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, accused the nation’s regulatory agencies of turning a blind eye to widespread abuse of the expatriate quota in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
He highlighted the practices of Sterling Oil, which he claims exploits the loopholes to employ thousands of foreign workers at the expense of Nigerians.
During the picketing of Sterling Oil’s Lagos Headquarters , Osifo raised issues with the employment practices at the company, which he claims employs a disproportionately large number of foreign workers, particularly from India, in roles that could be filled by Nigerians.
According to Osifo who is also the President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC: “Sterling is reported to have over 10,000 Indian nationals working in various capacities, from gatekeepers to panel operators and even cooks.
“This raises important questions about the application of the expatriate quota in the sector and whether Nigeria’s regulatory agencies are enforcing the rules as intended.”
Osifo highlighted a stark contrast to the operations of other international oil companies, IOCs, such as Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell, where Nigerians occupy the core operational roles, including panel operators on complex deep offshore platforms.
“In some of the most sophisticated oil platforms operated by IOCs, the entire workforce is Nigerian. But in simpler platforms operated by Sterling, all the panel operators are Indian nationals.”
The PENGASSAN leader expressed frustration over the apparent complicity of Nigerian regulatory bodies such as NNPC, NUPRC, the Ministry of Interior, and the Nigerian Immigration Service, who he claims have failed to address the issue despite their responsibility to enforce the expatriate quota policy.
He called on Nigerian regulatory bodies, including the NNPC, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission NUPRC, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, and Nigerian Immigration Service, to more effectively enforce the laws designed to ensure a fair balance between expatriate and local employment.
Osifo said: “We want to see these agencies take a more active role in ensuring that the rules governing expatriate employment are followed.”
He also raised concerns about the welfare of Nigerian workers at Sterling, pointing out that compensation and working conditions for local employees appear to be substandard, especially in comparison to the remuneration given to expatriates.
“It is crucial that Nigerian workers are treated fairly, especially considering the current economic climate,” he said.
While PENGASSAN is not opposed to foreign investment, Osifo emphasized that such investment should align with the country’s laws and benefit the local workforce. “Our call is for investors to adhere to Nigerian regulations, ensuring that local workers are given priority in employment opportunities,” he stated.
The protest also included calls for the reinstatement of 18 employees who were reportedly dismissed by Sterling, a move that Osifo said was unjust and harmful to the morale of Nigerian workers in the sector.
Osifo warned that PENGASSAN would take further action if these issues are not addressed. “We are hopeful that the government and regulatory bodies will act swiftly to address these concerns. If necessary, we will take steps to ensure that the rights of Nigerian workers are protected, including considering a broader mobilisation of workers across the industry.”
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