Persistent disagreements involving foreign training placements have escalated to trade disputes with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), shutting down the operations of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which forced the regulator to suspend operations nationwide.

Members of the PENGASSAN blocked entrances and halted administrative functions, demanding clarity on training allocations and alleging favoritism in who was chosen for overseas programmes.

It was gathered that the PENGASSAN embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike, shutting down all commission offices across Nigeria, because of a dispute over foreign training.

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The industrial action, which commenced on Monday, led to a total shutdown of regulatory activities at NUPRC headquarters in Abuja and all field offices nationwide, effectively grounding administrative and operational functions of the upstream petroleum regulator.

Sources familiar with the development said the strike followed the breakdown of negotiations between the union and management over the handling of staff training programmes, particularly the commission’s position that capacity-building should be conducted locally rather than through overseas training.

According to the sources, management had insisted that training programmes particularly for Factory Acceptance Test for Positive Displacement (PD) Meters be domestically delivered within Nigeria to reduce cost and strengthen local institutional capacity, a stance the workers reportedly rejected.

A security source said that representatives of the parties are presently meeting at the office of the National Security Adviser where a resolution will likely be reached today.

Two police officers were reportedly killed after suspected hoodlums attacked the convoy of the Chief of Staff to Anambra State Governor, Dr. Ben Nwankwo, along the Amansea–Ufuma Road in the state.

The attack, which occurred on Sunday night, targeted the convoy of the governor’s aide. While Dr. Nwankwo escaped unhurt, two security personnel attached to the convoy were feared dead during the ambush.

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Reacting to the incident, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, ordered an immediate manhunt for the attackers and issued a 48-hour ultimatum to police formations and tactical units across the state to arrest those responsible.

Speaking during an emergency security meeting at the State Police Command Headquarters, Orutugu described the attack as a direct challenge to the authority of the state and vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

The police commissioner directed officers to intensify efforts to track down the suspects, stressing that the killing of security personnel would not be tolerated under his watch.

He also expressed concern over intelligence reports suggesting that some criminal elements now disguise themselves in police and military uniforms to evade detection and carry out attacks.

Orutugu urged residents and commuters to remain vigilant, particularly those travelling along the Amansea–Ufuma Road, which he described as a vulnerable route increasingly exploited by criminal gangs.

He assured the people of Anambra State that intelligence-led operations had already commenced and expressed confidence that the suspects would be apprehended within the stipulated 48-hour period.

The police command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property across the state while intensifying efforts to restore security and public confidence.

Nigeria’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) push has received a boost as a partnership between a private firm and the Federal Government through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF), yielded about $4 million investment in the development of CNG infrastructure.

Making the disclosure, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Portland Gas Limited, Folajimi Muhammed, added that the investment was aimed at deepening gas utilisation and improving energy access across Nigeria.

During the commissioning of the company’s Mother Station in Ojota, Lagos, at the weekend, Muhammed said the project is structured as a joint venture in which Portland Gas holds a 60 percent equity stake while the Federal Government, through MDGIF, owns the remaining 40 percent.

He added that the initiative involves the construction of a Mother Station and Daughter Stations in Lagos and Abuja to facilitate the distribution of CNG through a virtual pipeline system.

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He explained that the facility commissioned represents the first phase of the project and would serve as the central hub for supplying gas to downstream stations.

“The project is a collaboration between Portland Gas and the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund. Portland Gas has contributed 60 per cent equity while the Federal Government has come in with 40 per cent. Our mandate is to build a mother station here and daughter stations in Lagos and Abuja. What we are commissioning today is the first part of that project, which is the mother station,” he said.

Muhammed noted that the facility currently has an above-ground storage capacity of 96,000 standard cubic metres per day (SCMD), while the full mother station is designed to handle about five million standard cubic feet of gas per day.

He said the station is presently supplied through a virtual pipeline arrangement whereby gas is sourced from a third-party facility and transported to the site, pending connection to the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline network.

“At the moment, we are sourcing gas from a third party, which is why we call it a virtual pipeline. In the future, we will tap directly into the AKK pipeline and become our own supplier. This will enable us to supply our daughter stations directly and also serve other gas consumers,” he added.

Addressing concerns over persistent queues at CNG stations across the country, Muhammed said increasing the number of refuelling outlets remains the most effective solution.

“The opening of more stations will naturally reduce waiting time and queues. The more stations we build and commission, the more available gas becomes to consumers,” he said.

He revealed that Portland Gas already operates stations in Ajah, Lagos, and Kubwa, Abuja, while additional facilities are planned for Otako and Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory.

On access to funding from the MDGIF, Muhammed described the application process as rigorous but necessary to ensure that only serious investors benefit from the intervention fund.

“It was a very rigorous process. We had to provide extensive documentation and demonstrate that we had already committed substantial resources to the project before accessing the fund. The fund managers needed evidence that we were capable of executing the project,” he explained.

While advocating a more flexible approach for proven investors, he cautioned against lowering standards to the extent that funds are disbursed to entities lacking the capacity to deliver.

“There is a delicate balance. The fund should not be given to people who may not perform simply because they apply. However, companies that have demonstrated commitment and capacity should enjoy a more streamlined process,” he said.

Muhammed also urged greater support for innovative gas distribution models, including mobile refilling units and daughter stations, to accelerate the penetration of CNG across the country.

According to him, such initiatives would complement the Federal Government’s gas expansion agenda and help position natural gas as a viable alternative fuel for transportation and industrial activities.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of MDGIF, Oluwole Adama, said the Fund remains committed to supporting projects that drive energy access, economic growth, and national development.