Energy
Smart Filling Stations: NNPC Ltd Assuages Job-loss Worries
Public concerns that the introduction of smart and self-service filling stations would lead to job losses in the downstream petroleum sector have been dismissed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
According to the state oil major, the deployment of automated stations was part of efforts to improve efficiency and customer experience. It added that the technology would create new opportunities rather than simply eliminate existing jobs.
The NNPC Ltd also disclosed plans to transform about 900 of its existing retail outlets across the country into modern energy hubs, as it adapts its retail business to changing consumer needs and developments in the downstream sector.
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The disclosures were made in Abuja, during the commissioning of a 24-hour smart, self-service filling station at the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
The Executive Director, Retail Operations and Mobility, NNPC Retail Limited, Shettima Kukawa, said the new model was designed to provide customers with faster, more convenient and technology-driven services.
Kukawa added that the transformation of the company’s retail outlets was not about simply replacing workers with machines, but about creating a modern retail environment capable of providing more services to customers.
He explained that the smart station allows motorists to purchase fuel through the NNPC fuel app, fund their digital wallets and dispense the exact quantity of fuel they have paid for using a self-service code.
The station has a storage capacity of 180,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 45,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), with 16 PMS pumps and two AGO pumps.
It also has a six-point electric vehicle (EV) charging facility and is primarily powered by a solar system with more than 200kWh capacity.
Managing Director, NNPC Retail Limited, Hubb Stokman, said the downstream industry was undergoing significant changes following fuel deregulation and the commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery.
Stokman said consumers were also demanding more services at filling stations, pointing out that the traditional fuel-only model was no longer sufficient to meet their expectations.
“Today shows that the downstream industry is changing after the fuel deregulation and also the start-up of the Dangote Refinery. Our industry is rapidly changing, and I think that more than ever, we need to meet the needs of the Nigerian consumer and their wishes.
“They want to see more services, like a fast food restaurant, convenience shop, maybe a coffee shop, banks. They would like to have a lounge or car wash. All these things that you will see here,” he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice President, Downstream, NNPC Limited, Dr Mumuni Dagazau, said the company was moving beyond the traditional concept of a filling station by integrating technology and alternative energy solutions into its retail network.
He said the development represented the type of modern retail infrastructure that should be replicated across the country, stressing that Nigerians deserved improved quality and service.
“Our objective at NNPC is not simply to provide fuel, it is to provide reliable energy solutions and a better retail experience supported by technology and innovation.
“We deserve these sort of stations throughout this country. We need to move away from where we have been and deliver this sort of quality and the service to our people in the community,” Dagazau said.
On his part, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, commended NNPC Limited for integrating EV charging with conventional fuelling.
Represented by Saidu Daura, the Deputy Comptroller-General, Nandap said the development aligned with global trends in energy transition, climate action and smart mobility, describing it as a practical step towards a cleaner, more sustainable and technology-driven economy.
She said the shift to technologies such as electric mobility could create opportunities for investment, employment, skills transfer and industrial growth.
“Today’s commissioning goes beyond the opening of a service station. It is a statement of confidence in Nigeria’s future and a contribution to building a resilient, green, and technologically advanced nation,” she said.
Nandap called for stronger collaboration between government institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders to promote sustainable development and national progress.
The station operates round-the-clock and includes automated services designed to reduce waiting time and give motorists greater control over their transactions.
The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has urged operators in Nigeria’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry to strengthen safety standards, improve regulatory compliance and adopt digital technologies to reduce operational losses and drive business growth.
The association said improved operational practices would help protect investments, enhance efficiency, build consumer confidence and support the sustainable expansion of C.
The call followed its 2026 webinar, themed “Downstream LPG Operational Excellence and Compliance,” which brought together industry operators, regulators and other stakeholders to discuss safety risks, market volatility, operational inefficiencies and regulatory requirements in the downstream LPG sector.
Speaking at the event, NALPGAM National President, Edu Inyang, said the industry’s long-term growth would depend on more than increased consumption and supply volumes, stressing the need to embed safety and operational efficiency in everyday business practices.
“The future of Nigeria’s LPG industry cannot be achieved by increasing volumes alone. We must grow safely, responsibly, efficiently and sustainably. Safety is not an occasional campaign; it must become a continuous industry culture,” he said.
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A major outcome of the webinar was a proposal for a NALPGAM Standard of Operational Excellence, anchored on four principles: safe and well-maintained facilities, competent and adequately trained operators, regulatory-compliant processes, and consumer protection.
Participants urged operators to integrate safety into routine operations, strengthen preventive maintenance and comply with licensing and incident-reporting requirements.
They also called for an end to unsafe practices, including unauthorised propane blending and illegal decanting, warning that such activities could expose businesses and consumers to avoidable risks.
Inyang said compliance should be viewed as a means of strengthening business performance rather than merely fulfilling regulatory obligations.
“Compliance is not merely a regulatory burden; it is a business advantage. Well-managed LPG operations reduce accidents, improve efficiency, protect investments and strengthen public confidence in our industry,” he said.
The webinar also highlighted the role of digital technologies in improving operational efficiency and accountability across the LPG value chain.
Participants identified smart filling systems, automated tank gauges, load cells, flow meters and vehicle-tracking systems as practical tools for monitoring product movements, reducing losses and improving inventory management.
Wider adoption of these technologies, they said, could help operators strengthen operational controls, minimise discrepancies and improve the reliability of LPG distribution.
The discussions come as Nigeria seeks to expand LPG consumption to approximately five million tonnes annually by 2030, a target that will require increased investment, stronger distribution networks and wider consumer access.
Stakeholders called for greater industry participation in the Decade of Gas LPG penetration programme, alongside stronger collaboration to expand access, improve cylinder traceability and promote certified local manufacturing.
The NALPGAM also urged regulators and programme coordinators to involve its members more actively in implementing LPG penetration and cylinder recirculation initiatives.
According to the association, its members’ nationwide presence and proximity to consumers could help improve the reach and effectiveness of programmes designed to increase LPG adoption.
Reiterating the association’s position, Inyang said the industry must establish clear operational standards that protect consumers while supporting efficient and sustainable business practices.
“Our aspiration is clear: every LPG facility must be safe and properly maintained, every operator competent and adequately trained, every process compliant, and every customer protected. This is the standard of operational excellence we must collectively pursue,” he said.
The NALPGAM reaffirmed its commitment to working with government agencies, regulators and industry stakeholders to develop a safer, more efficient and competitive LPG market.
The association maintained that embedding safety, strengthening compliance and deploying appropriate technologies would be critical to improving operational performance and supporting the long-term growth of Nigeria’s LPG industry.
Fears of renewed US military strikes on Iran and escalating threats to energy infrastructure across the Middle East heightened concerns about global crude supplies have pushed-up crude oil prices in the global market.
These factors pushed crude oil prices over $117 a barrel in the global market, even as oil theft and pipeline losses in Nigeria fell by 82.9 percent in five years, from 102,900 barrels per day (bpd) in 2021 to 17,600 bpd in the first seven months of 2026, amid fresh concerns about further increases in lost volumes after years of decline.
Nigeria’s oil benchmark, Brent crude, climbed by about 3.5 percent to cross $117 a barrel during trading before easing to just above $116, still up approximately 2.7 percent.
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The latest rally followed reports that Washington was considering fresh military strikes against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections, raising concerns that the conflict, now in its eighth month, could escalate further rather than move towards a diplomatic resolution.
Iran had threatened to attack oil facilities, undersea cables, data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure across the Gulf if the United States and Israel launched a new offensive against the country.
Recall that Brent crude traded at about $72 a barrel in February, before the war began, but surged to about $126 a barrel by the end of April as the conflict intensified and concerns mounted over supply security.
Tensions rose again during the week following claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) that it struck four commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.
The US ordered some diplomats and family members of American government employees to leave Saudi Arabia, which had faced continued attacks by Houthi rebels operating from Yemen.
From January to September 2026, the domestic refineries in Nigeria received 156.52 million barrels of crude oil.
Of the volume, 125.85million barrels (80.4 percent) were sourced from in-country while 30.66 million barrels (19.6 percent) were imported.
This was contained in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Factsheet September 2026 released on Thursday.
The Factsheet specifically revealed that in September 2026, 38.7 million litres of the Premium Motor Spirit PMS (petrol) were received per day, crashing from the 50.5million litres per day received in August by 23 percent.
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Stock sufficiency in September was 23.9 days, declining below the 30-day threshold.
The NMDPRA stressed that while 28.7million litres were supplied per day from domestic sources, declining by 21 percent from the previous month, 10.2 million litres were imported, reducing imported petrol by 30 percent in the period under review.
According to the Factsheet, “Domestic refining contributed about 65 percent of the national petrol requirement (consumption) in September 2026, and about 74 percent of receipts, supplemented by 26 percent of imports”.
The Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company (DPRP) is the only domestic refinery which currently produces petrol in Nigeria.
The report added that the DPRP produced 47.22 million litres per day of PMS in September, supplying 28.50 million litres per day to the domestic market and exporting (35.2 percent) 15.47 million litres per day.
On capacity utilization, the refinery recorded 105.98 percent of its 650,000 barrels per day capacity in the period under review.
The Factsheet disclosed that 8.7million litres of diesel were consumed in the month under review.
The NMDPRA revealed that modular refineries supplied 4.3 percent of domestic diesel consumption in September.
Aradel and OPAC, said the Factsheet, operated below optimal capacity due to feedstock challenges and maintenance shutdowns.
September diesel receipts, according to the NMDPRA, were the lowest of the 13 months, driven by low imports and low domestic evacuation amid high prices.
The Factsheet said, “Nigeria’s energy-sector transformation is progressing. Domestic refining contributed about 65 percent of the national petrol requirement (consumption) in September 2026, and about 74 percent of receipts, supplemented by 26 percent of imports.
“Priority gas projects have reached significant mileage, with the AKK pipeline at 84 percent completion as of September 2026,” the Factsheet pointed out.
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