PIA Supremacy: PENGASSAN Says Executive Order Can’t Override NNPC’s Legal Autonomy

Story: Written by springnewsng February 20,202

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has insisted that provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) clearly guarantee the financial independence of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, warning that no executive directive can invalidate an Act of the National Assembly.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, referenced Sections 8, 9, and 64 of the PIA, stressing that the law establishes NNPC Limited as a commercially run entity with defined financial powers. He described the presidential order as inconsistent with existing legislation, noting that executive actions cannot supersede statutory law.
The union further cautioned that the directive could unsettle investors by creating uncertainty around Nigeria’s legal and fiscal environment for oil and gas operations. According to PENGASSAN, doubts over whether PIA protections can be altered through executive action may weaken confidence in the sector.
Osifo added that the union believes President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may not have been fully briefed on the broader consequences of the order, arguing that it runs contrary to ongoing efforts to attract long-term investment.