By Bimpe Audu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration to combat petroleum smuggling through intelligence sharing, technology-driven enforcement and coordinated operations.
The commitment was reaffirmed on Thursday, 23 July 2026, during a strategic stakeholders’ engagement between the NCS-led Operation Whirlwind and the NMDPRA in Abuja.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abubakar Aliyu, said the Service would continue to deepen its partnership with the NMDPRA to dismantle petroleum smuggling networks. He noted that the collaboration had strengthened investigations, enhanced operational coordination, improved the interception of illegally diverted petroleum products and established a joint operational framework.
“Our operations are intelligence-driven, transparent and guided by the rule of law. The NMDPRA provides the technical expertise while Customs brings its enforcement capacity, and together we are seen as one team,” he stated.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, described the partnership between the NCS and the NMDPRA as critical to safeguarding Nigeria’s economy and strengthening the integrity of the petroleum distribution chain.
“We are mindful of our economy. While exports are important, we must also ensure Nigerians benefit from what we produce at home. We need stronger collaboration, less operational friction, and coordinated action to reduce pressure on the naira and protect our national economy,” he said.
Both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to consolidating the gains of Operation Whirlwind by strengthening institutional collaboration, expanding intelligence-driven operations, leveraging technology and sustaining coordinated enforcement against petroleum smuggling.
