Major oil companies operating in Nigeria have asked security services for stricter surveillance amid violent protests against police brutality. Adding to the security threat, the expected sacking of hundreds of workers will likely deteriorate the situation in the country’s oil-producing regions, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states. Unemployment soared to 45.2% and 43.7% in the second quarter in the two areas, respectively.
Chevron plans to lay off 25% or about 1,000 of its Nigeria workforce. ExxonMobil and Shell have announced worldwide job cuts, but they did not disclose how many would come in Africa’s largest oil exporter. Meanwhile, Total said it would not cut jobs and had not cut salaries in Nigeria. Oil services firm Baker Hughes had already cut 65 jobs in Nigeria, prompting a threat of a strike from oil union Pengassan. The union has pledged to fight all of the job cuts.
Three industry sources said these firms had asked for stricter surveillance. Meanwhile, non-government organisations said the layoffs would deteriorate problems of pirate attacks, pipeline tapping, and illegal oil refining. In the first half of 2019, oil theft cost Nigeria $1.35 billion.
