The Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority have agreed to deepen collaboration to curb the diversion of petroleum products intended for local consumption, as the country moves to secure its energy supply while expanding fuel exports.
The renewed commitment followed a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure at the NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha, held on December 9, 2025, at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the National Public Relations Officer of the Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, the two agencies said discussions focused on tightening border surveillance, enhancing intelligence sharing and aligning enforcement strategies with ongoing reforms in the petroleum sector.
“The Nigeria Customs Service and the NMDPRA are strengthening cooperation to prevent the diversion of petroleum products designated for domestic use and to safeguard Nigeria’s energy security,” the statement said.
Speaking at the meeting, Adeniyi reaffirmed the Customs Service’s commitment to inter-agency collaboration, stressing that petroleum products allocated for local markets must not be illegally moved across Nigeria’s borders.
“Our joint operations with the NMDPRA have produced concrete results. Operation Whirlwind, in particular, has shown the value of intelligence-led enforcement, coordinated field activities and real-time information sharing,” Adeniyi said.
He added that Customs would continue to provide technical input and border management expertise to support new regulatory guidelines being developed by the NMDPRA, especially as Nigeria transitions into an exporter of refined petroleum products.
“We welcome initiatives that strengthen energy security and ensure that the progress recorded in reducing cross-border diversion is sustained. Our shared duty is to protect national interest, support legitimate trade and maintain a transparent system that stakeholders can trust,” he said.
In his remarks, Ukoha described the relationship between the NMDPRA and Customs as longstanding and productive, noting that Operation Whirlwind remains a major success story of their collaboration.
“Through joint deployment of personnel, intelligence exchange and coordinated monitoring along border corridors, we have significantly reduced the diversion of petroleum products,” Ukoha said.
He explained that the visit was also to brief the Customs leadership on newly developed guidelines for designating petroleum export points, in line with Nigeria’s growing refining capacity.
According to him, the Authority is engaging critical stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Nigerian Navy, to ensure that the guidelines are practical and effective before implementation.
Ukoha added that while enforcement has helped curb illegal movements of fuel, the removal of petrol subsidy has also reduced the financial incentive for cross-border smuggling.
“NMDPRA will continue to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service to sustain the gains recorded and ensure that petroleum exports are properly regulated without undermining domestic energy security,” he said.
