The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has elected Bosun Olabiyi-Agoro as its new president, succeeding Festus Osifo, who led the association for six years.
Olabiyi-Agoro, a petroleum engineer with more than two decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, assumed office alongside nine other national officers following the association’s Quadrennial National Delegates Conference in Abuja.
The new president currently works with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and has previously held technical and operational positions at Baker Hughes and EA Temile and Sons. He has also occupied several leadership positions within PENGASSAN and the Trade Union Congress.
Speaking after his election, Olabiyi-Agoro identified job security and the fight against casualisation as major priorities of his administration. He said workers who have performed permanent roles for years should no longer be treated as temporary employees.
“A job that someone has been doing for over two years, five years, 10 years, even 20 years or more cannot be categorised as a temporary position anymore,” he said.
He warned that the union would challenge contract staffing practices that exploit workers and said the issue would also be examined from a health and safety perspective.
Olabiyi-Agoro further pledged to protect workers affected by divestments, restructuring, automation and the transition to cleaner energy. He said PENGASSAN would push for retraining, redeployment and fair transition arrangements to prevent workers from being left behind.
The new administration also promised to ensure that collective bargaining agreements are implemented, while maintaining constructive relationships with employers.
According to the new president, PENGASSAN would support increased production and investment but would insist that workers receive fair treatment and that Nigerian content remains protected.
He also outlined plans to strengthen digital skills, leadership development, women’s participation and workers’ welfare.
The new leadership includes George Nwoko as Deputy President, Dominic Abang as National Industrial Relations Officer, Amaoge Chukwudi as National Treasurer, Tijani Oyabure as National Financial Secretary and Lavin Aghaunor as National Public Relations Officer.
Ada Maryam Mbanaso emerged National Chairperson of the PENGASSAN Women Commission, while Chidinma Anyanwu became National Secretary of the commission. Muhammad Sani Ismail was elected National Auditor II.
The only contested position was National Auditor I, which was won by Rex Orji of Indorama Petrochemical Company with 254 votes against Ese Okusi’s 84.
Olabiyi-Agoro also commended his predecessor, Festus Osifo, for strengthening PENGASSAN’s influence and defending workers’ interests during his tenure.
He pledged to build on Osifo’s achievements while pursuing a more aggressive approach to job protection, fair employment practices and workers’ welfare in Nigeria’s evolving energy industry.
