(JUBA) – Employees of South Sudan’s state owned Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet) have accused their managing director, Ayuel Ngor Kacgor, of avoiding the office in order to escape mounting pressure over months of unpaid salaries.
Several staff members told media this week that Kacgor, who was appointed in October 2024, has been largely absent from Nilepet’s headquarters in Juba. They allege that his limited presence has left a leadership vacuum at the company, which employs more than 3,000 people.
The main concern is non payment. Workers said they have not received salaries or allowances since April 2025. With the suspension of food rations and medical insurance, the crisis has left employees struggling to survive. Salaries had previously been reduced by 70 per cent following the oil shutdown caused by the conflict in Sudan. Workers said they expected full payments to resume after production restarted in February, but those expectations have not materialised.
One employee, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals, said there has been no communication from the company’s top leadership.
“We were expecting the managing director to inform us when salaries would resume and arrears would be paid. But since then, nothing,” the staff member said.
Employees allege that Kacgor now operates mainly from outside the company offices, including the Radisson Blu Hotel and the offices of Nile Orange, a South African company recently awarded an oil block in Jonglei State.
“He doesn’t come to the office frequently. Sometimes he shows up for an hour, then leaves to avoid any engagement with staff,” said another employee.
Staff further claimed that he often arrives after 5 p.m., when most workers have already gone home.
“I think he’s afraid to come to the office because he knows staff will ask why he is refusing to pay salaries,” one employee said.
Tensions escalated in June when Nilepet employees staged a sit in strike demanding Kacgor’s removal. The workers’ union later raised the matter with the National Security Service, which instructed the managing director to resolve the dispute. However, staff claim the directive was ignored, leaving the situation to deteriorate further.
The consequences for employees have been severe. Workers said colleagues have died after being unable to afford medical care, while others have been forced to withdraw their children from school or vacate rental homes due to unpaid fees.
“We are just surviving through the grace of God,” said one staff member. “We rely on friends and relatives.”
Despite the hardships, employees allege that Kacgor has continued to hire new staff, including some of his relatives, further fuelling resentment.
When contacted, Nilepet’s Director of Public Relations, Advocate Ayuel Kon Leek, declined to comment on the allegations.
Nilepet is the commercial arm of South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum and manages oil resources that account for more than 90 per cent of national revenue. With staff unpaid for four months, workers are now directly appealing to President Salva Kiir for intervention.
“We are calling on the president to intervene because the managing director does not care about the problems facing staff in the oil sector, which is vital to our country,” said one employee. “The only solution is to remove him.”
Nilepet is central to South Sudan’s petroleum sector, which contributes more than 90 per cent of government revenue. The ongoing salary arrears crisis at the company risks having wider implications beyond the welfare of its 3,000 employees.
Key Business and Economic Risks
| Impact Area | Description | Potential Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Productivity | Demoralised and unpaid staff are less motivated to work effectively. | Reduced efficiency in oil operations, project delays. |
| Oil Revenue Flow | Disruptions in Nilepet operations could affect the steady flow of oil exports. | Lower government earnings, weakening the national budget. |
| Domestic Spending Power | Unpaid salaries mean thousands of households have less disposable income. | Decline in consumer demand, hurting local markets and small businesses. |
| Education and Health | Families withdraw children from schools and cut medical expenses. | Long term weakening of human capital and workforce quality. |
| Investor Confidence | Allegations of mismanagement and nepotism raise governance concerns. | Foreign investors may see South Sudan as unstable or high risk. |
| National Security | Worker protests and unrest can spill into political tension. | Disruption to a strategic sector could escalate instability. |
