The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, have stepped up joint efforts to curb the diversion of petroleum products meant for local consumption, as both agencies move to strengthen Nigeria’s energy security.
This was disclosed on Sunday in a statement by the spokesperson of NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada.
The renewed collaboration was reinforced during a recent meeting between the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, and the Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure at NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha.
Adeniyi reaffirmed the commitment of the Customs Service to deepening interagency cooperation, particularly in preventing petroleum products intended for the domestic market from being diverted to neighboring countries.
He said the partnership with NMDPRA had already yielded tangible results, pointing to Operation Whirlwind as a successful model of intelligence sharing, joint enforcement, and coordinated field operations.
The CGC stressed that Customs remains aligned with reforms in the petroleum sector and would continue to offer technical input, operational feedback, and border management expertise to support the implementation of new export point guidelines being developed by the NMDPRA.
Commending the Authority for aligning legacy procedures with the Petroleum Industry Act, Adeniyi noted that clear and efficient export point processes are critical as Nigeria transitions from a net importer to an emerging exporter of petroleum products.
“We welcome every initiative that strengthens energy security and ensures that the gains recorded in reducing cross-border diversion are sustained. Our shared duty is to protect national interest, support legitimate trade, and maintain a transparent system stakeholders can trust,” he said.
In his response, Ukoha described the relationship between NMDPRA and the Customs Service as long-standing and productive, identifying Operation Whirlwind as the peak of that collaboration.
He explained that the joint deployment of personnel, intelligence sharing, and coordinated monitoring of border corridors had led to a significant decline in cross-border diversion of petroleum products.
Ukoha said the visit was to brief the Customs leadership on newly developed guidelines for the designation of export points, in line with Nigeria’s expanding refining capacity.
According to him, the NMDPRA is consulting key institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Nigerian Navy, to ensure the guidelines reflect operational realities before rollout.
He recalled joint field operations, including the launch of Operation Whirlwind in Yola, which underscored the commitment of both agencies to securing the domestic supply chain.
Ukoha added that while enforcement actions have curbed illegal movements of fuel, the removal of subsidy has also reduced the financial incentives for cross-border smuggling.
He assured that the NMDPRA would continue working closely with the Nigeria Customs Service to sustain progress, properly regulate petroleum exports, and protect the country from energy security risks.
This comes amid unwholesome practices by some players to divert fuel to neighboring countries, which has the potential to cause petrol scarcity and price hikes.
Customs, NMDPRA intensify crackdown on fuel smuggling
