Nigeria Customs Partners NMDPRA To Sustain Fight Against Petrol Smuggling
By Naija Enquirer Staff
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) have strengthened their collaboration to combat the diversion of petroleum products meant for domestic consumption and to safeguard Nigeria’s energy security.
The renewed alliance was highlighted during a meeting between the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure at NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha, held at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
According to a statement shared on the NCS official X handle, Adeniyi reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to deepening interagency cooperation, particularly in preventing cross-border diversion of petroleum products.
He noted that collaboration between both agencies had already yielded tangible results, especially through Operation Whirlwind, which he described as a model for intelligence sharing, joint enforcement and coordinated field operations.
The Customs boss said the Service remains fully aligned with ongoing reforms in the petroleum regulatory space and will continue to provide technical input, operational feedback and border management expertise to support new guidelines being developed by the NMDPRA.
Adeniyi also commended the Authority’s efforts to harmonise legacy processes with the Petroleum Industry Act, stressing that clear export-point procedures are essential as Nigeria transitions from being a net importer to an emerging exporter of petroleum products.
“We welcome every initiative that strengthens energy security and ensures that the gains made in reducing cross-border diversion are not reversed. Our shared responsibility is to protect national interest, support legitimate trade and maintain a transparent system that stakeholders can rely on,” he said.
In his remarks, Ukoha said the NMDPRA enjoys a longstanding and productive working relationship with the Customs Service, describing Operation Whirlwind as the high point of that collaboration.
He explained that the joint deployment of personnel, intelligence exchange and coordinated monitoring of border corridors had led to a significant reduction in cross-border diversion of petroleum products.
Ukoha said the visit was also to brief the Comptroller General on newly developed guidelines for designating petroleum export points as Nigeria’s refining capacity expands.
He added that the NMDPRA is engaging key institutions, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Nigerian Navy, to ensure the guidelines reflect operational realities before implementation.
While enforcement has played a key role, Ukoha noted that the removal of fuel subsidy has significantly reduced the economic incentive for petrol smuggling, adding that both agencies will continue to work together to sustain progress and protect Nigeria’s domestic energy supply chain.
