Customs, NMDPRA Deepen Partnership to Curb Fuel Diversion

By Love Ikuku-Oyedokun

Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) have reinforced their collaboration to tackle the diversion of petroleum products and enhance Nigeria’s energy security.

Cablenews24 reports that the commitment was reaffirmed during a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, and NMDPRA’s Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Ogbugo Ukoha, on Tuesday at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.

CGC Adeniyi highlighted the success of Operation Whirlwind, a joint initiative that has improved intelligence sharing and border enforcement. He pledged Customs’ continued support for NMDPRA’s regulatory reforms, including the development of new export point guidelines as Nigeria transitions to a petroleum product exporter.

He noted that collaboration between both agencies had already produced measurable results, especially through Operation Whirlwind, which he described as a model for intelligence sharing, joint enforcement and coordinated field operations.

CGC Adeniyi said the Nigeria Customs 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 the implementation of new guidelines being developed by the NMDPRA.

He commended the Authority for its efforts to harmonise legacy processes with the Petroleum Industry Act, stressing that clear and efficient export point procedures are essential as Nigeria moves from being a net importer to an emerging exporter of petroleum products.

“We are committed to protecting national energy security and ensuring transparent trade practices,” Adeniyi stated.

For NMDPRA’s Perspective, Ukoha acknowledged the partnership’s impact in reducing fuel diversion, crediting both enforcement efforts and the removal of fuel subsidies for diminishing smuggling incentives. He emphasized ongoing engagements with Customs, the CBN, and other agencies to finalize export regulations that balance trade facilitation with energy security.

He explained that both agencies deployed personnel, exchanged intelligence and jointly monitored petroleum products in border corridors, leading to a marked reduction in cross border diversion.

Ukoha said the purpose of the visit was to brief the CGC on newly developed guidelines for designating export points for petroleum products as Nigeria’s refining capacity expands.

He said the NMDPRA is engaging key institutions, including Customs, 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 implementation.

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

“Our collaboration with Customs remains vital to sustaining these gains,” Ukoha noted.

Both agencies agreed to maintain joint surveillance and policy alignment to safeguard Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

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