The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is one of the 46 industrial unions formerly affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress. It was initially registered as a Trade Union on 15th August,1978 but held its inaugural conference on 2nd November 1977 at the Cultural Center Benin City, Edo State. NUPENG is currently affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress of Nigeria (NLC).

NUPENG is an affiliate of Industri-All Global Union which has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. NUPENG President is currently the chairman of Industri-All Global Union, Nigeria chapter.

The Union is divided into four zones primarily for administrative convenience and operations namely Lagos Zone, Warri Zone, Port Harcourt Zone and Kaduna Zone with Zonal offices. There are sub-zonal offices at Eket, in Akwa Ibom State, Ibadan in Oyo State and a Liaison office at Abuja. Each Zone elects a Zonal Executive Council consisting of a Chairman, National Officers, and one Secretary. Branches are created at the enterprise level.

This “blue-collar” workers’ union whose members are junior staff or production workers in the oil and gas industry is essentially set out to:

• Unionize workers;

• Negotiate better working conditions;

• Assist in resolving disputes between its members and their employers;

• Assist in resolving disputes among its members;

• To promote and encourage international fraternal relations with bodies having the interest of petroleum and natural gas workers at heart;

• To organize education and training programmes for members; and publish newsletters/magazine among others.

Its membership is open to all junior workers in the oil well and natural gas well operations in the industry, including prospecting, drilling, crude oil and natural extraction of oil and natural gas, pipelines, refining, distribution and marketing of natural gas and petroleum products including petroleum tanker drivers.

NUPENG will however mark its 40 years anniversary in the Labour movement later in the year (2018).