The national leadership of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has recognized the documents that allege workplace harassment by expatriates at TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Ltd. These documents suggest that expatriates have been involved in activities of intimidation and harassment against their Nigerian counterparts.
According to a report by The Sun on February 3, PENGASSAN issued a statement claiming that the media reports concerning the allegations relied on internal communication among TotalEnergies staff and management.
Jerry Amah, the acting general secretary of PENGASSAN, was quoted in the report. Nevertheless, Amah also opposed the claims stating that the expatriates were not guilty of bullying or harassment and that the newspapers which reported the allegations had not been authorized by PENGASSAN.
Background reports, including those by PREMIUM TIMES, highlight the complaints made by the local branch of PENGASSAN at TotalEnergies. The allegations are supported by letters sent to Matthieu Bouyer, managing director and country chair of TotalEnergies Nigeria. These letters were signed by the Branch Chairman, Abdulhameed Rabiu, and the Secretary, Opuwariboko Wilson.
The report also indicated that PENGASSAN's position appears to differ from the general practice among trade unions in Nigeria, where a unified stance is expected during labor disputes.
Furthermore, PENGASSAN members at TotalEnergies expressed discontent over a perceived influx of expatriates taking jobs earmarked for qualified Nigerian personnel. The association declared certain expatriates unwelcome at their facilities last October after management failed to address their complaints regarding workplace harassment.
Specifically, the local PENGASSAN branch named expatriates Jean-Christophe Agrati, a contract and procurement manager, and Sabine Brochard, a strategic planning officer, accusing them of fostering a hostile work environment for local employees.
They also identified Marc Mainguy, a senior geomechanics engineer, for reportedly violating safety protocols, and Erik Korf, an executive manager, for overstepping his tenure within the affiliate. Additionally, Nigerian employee Obi Imemba was labeled persona non grata by the union.
A communication sent to Mr. Bouyer on October 20, 2025, from PENGASSAN alleged that Mainguy had violated security protocols by climbing over the company's perimeter fence, expressing disbelief that there had been no investigation initiated by management into this breach.
The association then outlined a set of demands in a letter dated October 24, 2025, calling for the expulsion of expatriates implicated in these issues, restoration of jobs previously held by competent Nigerians, and actions to address unprofessional behavior among expats. They warned that failure to act would result in further measures to uphold workplace standards.
As of January 26, the Country Communication Manager for TotalEnergies, Charles Ebereonwu, had not provided a response to inquiries sent by the reporter.
Furthermore, a group named the Movement of Intellectuals for National Development (MIND) issued a public critique of PENGASSAN’s national leadership on February 11, characterizing their response as evasive and inconsistent with labor union responsibilities. They emphasized that issues related to workers’ rights should never remain internal and called for a public hearing regarding the alleged labor violations at TotalEnergies.
MIND warned against confidential communications that shield injustices and insisted on accountability and transparency within the extractive sector in Nigeria, urging PENGASSAN’s leadership to reconsider its position and align with the interests of its members.
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