OPINION: Inside Customs’ Battle to Save Nigeria’s Fuel Economy
By Tahir Ahmad,
On March 25, 2025, operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service dismantled a major fuel smuggling syndicate in Kebbi State, seizing 125,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), valued at N125 million.
This unprecedented bust is the largest single seizure recorded under Operation Whirlwind since its launch in May 2024 by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Fuel smuggling has long been a silent scourge gnawing at Nigeria’s economy, depriving the nation of vital revenue, weakening local industries, and posing a direct threat to national security. Despite the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023, illicit diversion of petroleum products continues unabated, with smugglers exploiting Nigeria’s porous borders and the stark price differentials in neighboring countries.
Nigeria shares extensive land and maritime borders with countries such as Niger, Benin, Chad, and Cameroon, making fuel smuggling an immensely profitable yet damaging enterprise. To counteract this, the Nigeria Customs has ramped up enforcement measures, employing intelligence-driven operations and strategic crackdowns.
The scale of recent seizures underscores the depth of this crisis. In a news briefing held in Lagos in March 2025, CGC Adeniyi disclosed that within just three months, Operation Whirlwind had intercepted 245,370 litres of petrol worth over N238 million.
He highlighted that these figures excluded seizures made through regular command structures and federal operations units, emphasizing the enormity of the illicit trade. His revelations painted a grim picture. On January 30 in Adamawa, customs officers intercepted 199,495 litres of petrol, valued at N199.5 million.
In Kwara, another 45,875 litres were seized on February 17, 2025, with a duty-paid value of N38.6 million. These figures point to a troubling reality—the smuggling of petroleum products remains a deeply entrenched operation that continues to evade complete eradication.
Further operations have reinforced the government’s resolve. In Taraba State, officers intercepted 34,470 litres of petrol in Gembu and Kan-Iyaka, two notorious border communities where illegal fuel movement thrives. These seizures underscore the critical need for sustained vigilance and robust countermeasures to curb the illicit trade threatening Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and energy security.
Beyond traditional enforcement, the NCS is exploring technological solutions to combat smuggling more effectively. Collaborations with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and other relevant agencies are underway to integrate artificial intelligence into border security operations.
This initiative aims to enhance surveillance and improve early detection mechanisms, ensuring that smuggling activities are curtailed before they gain momentum. Additionally, customs officials are working closely with stakeholders in the petroleum sector to strengthen fuel distribution tracking.
By preventing unauthorized diversions at depots and filling stations, the NCS hopes to disrupt the supply chain that fuels the illegal trade. Despite these proactive measures, the challenges remain formidable.
Nigeria’s vast and largely unmonitored border regions provide smugglers with endless routes to transport contraband fuel, making enforcement a continuous battle. Complicating matters further is the specter of corruption within the system. Some officials are suspected of colluding with smugglers, providing them safe passage in exchange for illicit financial gains.
Such internal sabotage weakens enforcement efforts, making it imperative for the government to impose stricter oversight and impose severe penalties on compromised officials. In many border communities, fuel smuggling is not just an illicit trade; it is a way of life.
Generations of families have built their livelihoods around it, leading to strong resistance against enforcement operations. To address this, the NCS has intensified engagement with local leaders, sensitizing them on the long-term economic damage that smuggling inflicts.
Without community cooperation, enforcement efforts alone will struggle to yield lasting results. For Nigeria to win the war against fuel smuggling, a multi-pronged approach is necessary.
Beyond aggressive enforcement, the government must strengthen the NCS by equipping it with advanced surveillance technology, adequate logistics, and well-trained personnel. A thorough cleansing of corrupt elements within the agency is also critical, ensuring that those entrusted with securing the borders are not complicit in economic sabotage.
Ultimately, addressing the root cause of fuel smuggling requires more than just policing. The economic incentives driving the trade must be tackled. Policies that balance regional fuel pricing disparities could help undercut the profitability of smuggling.
Public awareness campaigns must also be intensified to educate citizens on how illicit fuel trade weakens the nation’s economy and security. The battle against fuel smuggling is a long and arduous one. While the NCS, under the leadership of CGC Adeniyi, has recorded commendable victories, the fight is far from over.
Smugglers are constantly adapting, refining their strategies to outmaneuver enforcement agencies. To stay ahead, Nigeria must deploy a combination of technology, intelligence, and stringent oversight while fostering national cooperation.
Only through sustained and concerted efforts can the country hope to reclaim its economic sovereignty and secure its energy future.
Tahir Ahmad is a corps member serving with PRNigeria Centre, Abuja. He can be reached via: [email protected]
