The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited expanded its workforce by 12.24 per cent in 2025 to 6,247 employees, underscoring a mid-year hiring push that tapered off toward year-end, according to its latest quarterly workforce disclosure.
The figures are drawn from the company’s fourth-quarter 2025 workforce statistics, released on March 31, 2026. The data provides a detailed snapshot of staffing trends across the state-owned energy firm during the year, highlighting both expansion and subsequent stabilisation.
NNPCL reported that total headcount rose from 5,566 at the end of 2024 to 6,247 by December 31, 2025. The increase reflects a net addition of 681 employees over the 12-month period, driven largely by a sharp ramp-up in the first half of the year.
Quarterly data shows the most significant growth occurred between the first and second quarters of 2025, when staff strength climbed 14.3 per cent from 5,495 to 6,280. That surge appears to have marked the peak of the company’s recruitment cycle.
Thereafter, staffing levels plateaued and edged lower. Headcount dipped marginally by 0.11 per cent to 6,273 in the third quarter and declined further by 0.41 per cent to 6,247 in the final quarter, suggesting a period of consolidation following earlier expansion.
The fourth-quarter report, which outlines workforce composition and cadre distribution, did not accompany a standalone executive statement but forms part of NNPCL’s routine operational disclosures.
A breakdown by gender shows a workforce still heavily skewed toward male employees. As of the end of December 2025, men accounted for 5,044 staff, or 80.7 per cent of total headcount, while women made up 1,203 employees, representing 19.3 per cent.
Across job categories, senior staff dominate the organisation. NNPCL reported 4,970 employees within its senior cadre, equivalent to the bulk of its workforce. Junior staff numbered 173, while management-level employees totalled 1,104.
Within management ranks, middle management accounted for 932 employees, or 14.92 per cent of total staff, while top management comprised 172 employees, representing 2.75 per cent.
Detailed cadre-level data indicates relative stability across most grades, with only marginal quarter-on-quarter adjustments. In the junior category, Junior Staff 2 remained unchanged at one employee, while Junior Staff 1 declined to 175 from 187 in the third quarter.
Among senior staff, the SS6 cadre fell slightly to 1,010 from 1,012, while SS3 and SS2 categories also recorded modest declines. The largest concentration remained in the SS1 cadre, which stood at 1,829 employees at year-end, reinforcing its position as the company’s core operational tier.
Management cadres showed a similar pattern of minor adjustments. The M6 category declined to 695 from 699, while M5 dropped to 237 from 243. Lower management tiers, including M3, M2 and M1, recorded either small increases or remained unchanged.
In proportional terms, senior staff categories collectively accounted for the majority of the workforce, with SS1 alone representing 29.28 per cent. Other significant segments included SS5 at 17.22 per cent and SS6 at 16.17 per cent. Management cadres were more thinly distributed, with M6 contributing 11.13 per cent and other tiers each accounting for less than 4 per cent.
The workforce trajectory suggests that NNPCL prioritised capacity expansion earlier in the year, likely aligning with operational or strategic objectives, before shifting to cost discipline and headcount optimisation in the second half.
While the company did not provide forward guidance on staffing, the marginal declines in the final two quarters point to a stabilisation phase following rapid growth, with workforce levels settling just below mid-year highs by December 31, 2025.