Petrol Smuggling Through Land Borders Reduced – Customs

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has said that the smuggling of petroleum products through Nigeria’s land borders has drastically reduced, following intensified enforcement activities by the Service.

Adeniyi made this known over the weekend during a meeting between the NCS and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), led by its Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbogu Ukoha.

The Customs CG stated that the Service remained 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 the implementation of new guidelines being developed by the NMDPRA.

He noted that both agencies were strengthening collaboration to combat the diversion of petroleum products meant for domestic consumption and to safeguard Nigeria’s energy security.

During the engagement, Adeniyi reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to deepening inter-agency cooperation, particularly in protecting Nigeria’s domestic energy supply and ensuring that petroleum products intended for local use are not diverted to neighbouring countries.

He disclosed that the partnership between the two agencies had already yielded measurable results, primarily through Operation Whirlwind, which he described as a model for intelligence sharing, joint enforcement and coordinated field operations.

The Customs boss also commended the Authority for its efforts to harmonise legacy processes with the Petroleum Industry Act, stressing that transparent and efficient export-point procedures are essential 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 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.

We will continue to work closely with sister agencies to achieve these outcomes,” he stated.

In his remarks, Ukoha stated that the NMDPRA has a long-standing and productive working relationship with the Nigeria Customs Service, noting that Operation Whirlwind remains the pinnacle of that collaboration. He explained that both agencies had deployed personnel, exchanged intelligence, and jointly monitored petroleum product movements along border corridors, resulting in a significant reduction in cross-border diversion.

According to him, the purpose of the visit was to brief the Customs CG on newly developed guidelines for the designation of export points for petroleum products, as Nigeria’s refining capacity continues to expand.

Ukoha said the NMDPRA was engaging 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 full implementation.

He recalled that several joint field operations and strategic engagements with Customs leadership had taken place, including the launch of Operation Whirlwind in Yola, where both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to curbing diversion and securing the domestic supply chain.

Ukoha added that while enforcement has played a significant role in reducing irregular movement of petroleum products, the removal of fuel subsidy has significantly diminished the economic incentive for cross-border smuggling.

He assured that the NMDPRA would continue to work closely with the Customs Service to sustain the gains recorded and ensure petroleum exports are properly regulated without exposing the country to energy security risks.