The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, have intensified efforts to curb the diversion of petroleum products meant for domestic consumption, as part of measures to safeguard Nigeria’s energy security.
This renewed collaboration was underscored during a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure at NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha, held on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
At the meeting, the Comptroller-General reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency cooperation, particularly in preventing the diversion of petroleum products to neighbouring countries.
Adeniyi stated that the partnership between Customs and NMDPRA had already yielded tangible results, particularly through Operation Whirlwind, which he described as a model for intelligence sharing, joint enforcement, and coordinated field operations.
He noted that the Service remains aligned with reforms in the petroleum regulatory sector and would continue to provide technical input, operational feedback, and border management expertise to support the implementation of new guidelines being developed by the NMDPRA.
The Customs boss commended the Authority for harmonising existing processes with the Petroleum Industry Act, stressing that clear and efficient export point procedures are critical as Nigeria transitions from being a net importer to an emerging exporter of petroleum products.
“We welcome initiatives that strengthen energy security and ensure that the gains made in reducing cross-border diversion are sustained. Our shared responsibility is to protect national interest, support legitimate trade, and maintain a transparent system stakeholders can rely on,” Adeniyi said.
In his remarks, NMDPRA Executive Director, Ogbugo Ukoha, described the relationship between the Authority and the Nigeria Customs Service as longstanding and productive, noting that Operation Whirlwind represented the peak of their collaboration.
Ukoha explained that both agencies had deployed personnel, exchanged intelligence, and jointly monitored petroleum product movements along border corridors, leading to a significant reduction in cross-border diversion.
He said the visit was to brief the Comptroller-General on newly developed guidelines for the designation of export points for petroleum products, in line with Nigeria’s expanding refining capacity.
According to him, the NMDPRA is engaging critical institutions, including the Nigeria Customs Service, 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.
Ukoha recalled joint field operations and strategic engagements with Customs leadership, including the launch of Operation Whirlwind in Yola, where both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the domestic supply chain.
He added that while enforcement efforts have significantly reduced irregular movements of petroleum products, the removal of fuel subsidy has also lowered the economic incentive for cross-border smuggling.
The Executive Director assured that the NMDPRA would continue to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service to sustain progress and ensure petroleum exports are properly regulated without compromising Nigeria’s energy security.