The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening interagency collaboration to combat the diversion of petroleum products meant for domestic consumption and to safeguard Nigeria’s energy security.
This renewed partnership was underscored on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, during a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, and the Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure of NMDPRA, Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, at the Customs House, Maitama, Abuja.
CGC Adeniyi reiterated the Service’s resolve to deepen cooperation with sister agencies, particularly in protecting Nigeria’s domestic energy supply and preventing petroleum products designated for local use from being smuggled across borders. He noted that the collaboration between Customs and NMDPRA had already yielded tangible results, especially through Operation Whirlwind, which he described as a benchmark for intelligence sharing, joint enforcement and coordinated field operations.
According to him, the NCS remains fully aligned with reforms in the petroleum regulatory space and will continue to offer technical input, operational feedback and border management expertise to support the implementation of new NMDPRA guidelines.
The CGC commended the Authority’s efforts to harmonise existing processes with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), stressing that efficient and transparent export point procedures 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 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,” Adeniyi said.
In his remarks, Ukoha described the relationship between NMDPRA and the Nigeria Customs Service as longstanding and productive, identifying Operation Whirlwind as the high point of their collaboration. He explained that the joint deployment of personnel, intelligence sharing and coordinated monitoring of border corridors had led to a significant reduction in cross-border diversion of petroleum products.
Ukoha said the visit was aimed at briefing the Customs leadership on newly developed guidelines for the designation of petroleum export points, in line with Nigeria’s expanding refining capacity. He disclosed that NMDPRA is consulting key institutions, including the Nigeria Customs Service, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Nigerian Navy, to ensure the guidelines reflect operational realities before full implementation.
He recalled several joint field operations and strategic engagements with Customs leadership, including the launch of Operation Whirlwind in Yola, where both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to curbing diversion and securing the domestic petroleum supply chain.
While noting that enforcement actions had played a critical role in reducing illegal movements of petroleum products, Ukoha added that the removal of fuel subsidy had also significantly reduced the economic incentive for cross-border smuggling.
He assured that NMDPRA would continue to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service to sustain the gains recorded and ensure that petroleum exports are properly regulated without compromising Nigeria’s energy security.
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