ABUJA — In a move aimed at strengthening transparency and operational efficiency in Nigeria’s petroleum sector, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Oversight and Stakeholders Synergy (OSS) Committee have reached an agreement to share vital data for smarter regulation and monitoring of petroleum product movements across the country.
The collaborative framework, which was formalised during a high-level meeting held in Abuja, is designed to improve real-time intelligence gathering, streamline border surveillance, and curb illegal fuel exports and diversion.
Speaking during the engagement, senior officials of the Customs Service emphasized that enhanced data-sharing between agencies will close critical information gaps and support government efforts in ensuring accountability across the downstream petroleum value chain.
The OSS Committee, which comprises stakeholders from regulatory bodies, security agencies, and industry players, noted that aligning databases and analytics would bolster compliance with import and export regulations, especially at border posts and seaports.
“This partnership marks a significant step in ensuring that every drop of petroleum product is properly accounted for from entry to final distribution,” a Customs representative stated. “It is about smarter surveillance, data accuracy, and national energy security.”
The collaboration is expected to help detect fuel smuggling networks, reduce subsidy abuse, and enhance coordination between the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and other relevant agencies.
Stakeholders say the move reflects the Federal Government’s broader agenda to modernize revenue collection, reduce leakages in the oil and gas sector, and deepen inter-agency synergy for national development.
The data-sharing initiative is scheduled to be rolled out in phases, with pilot testing expected to begin in key border states within the next quarter.
