₦airaland Forum

The relative cheapness of petrol in Nigeria makes it attractive for smugglers to divert the product from Nigerian destinations to neigbouring countries.


The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, said this on Friday when Operations Whirlwind of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, held a press briefing in Yola announcing further seizures of petrol said to have been packaged by smugglers for diversion from Adamawa State.

DAILY POST recalls that the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of the NCS had only on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 announced confiscation of over 36,000 litres of petrol allegedly being moved out of Adamawa and Taraba States towards Cameroon.


In a message at the NCS press briefing, which was held at the Adamawa\Taraba Area Command headquarters of the NIS in Yola, the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed claimed that because petrol is cheapest in Nigeria when compared to neigbouring countries, people diverting the product to such countries find the illegal activity tempting, hence their persistence in their smuggling activities.

The Adamawa State Coordinator of the NMDPRA, Dr Bashir Sirajo had admitted earlier on, that a huge volume of petrol designated for locations in Adamawa State were frequently being diverted by smugglers.

Speaking on the activities of Operation Whirlwind in Adamawa State in the last five weeks, its National Coordinator, Husssaini Ejibunu said the Operation carried out series of seizures of petrol and some vehicles in which they were being conveyed.


He gave the aggregate duty paid value of both petrol and vehicles as N63,046,750.

The seized items, the coordinator announced, include 1,959 25-litres of Jerry cans, equivalent to 48,975 litres; and five vehicles (three cars and two pickups), being the means of conveyance of some of the seized petrol.

He said the Operation Whirlwind had its machinery to ensure that Nigeria’s borderlines are watertight.


“We are resolved more than ever before to give smugglers a tough fight,” Ejibunu said.

Source: https://dailypost.ng/Price-of-Nigerian-petrol-makes-smuggling-into-neigboring-countries-attractive-NMDPRA

Find a way of monetizing it nah?

This one is for Tinubus hallelujah boys

Okay

Does not make sense

Nigerian Petrol refinery price is similar to America
The Ex refinery price of gasoline is $2 a gallon which works out at less than 850 per litre

So why can't Dangote sell to other West African nations

VeeVeeMyLuv:
This is due to the uselessness of the naira

If you improve the value of the naira to Cefa level

1 United States Dollar equals
577.00 West African CFA franc

All these smugglers will run, other criminal enterprises will collapse

The economy will be more balanced and heave a sigh of relief
Breathe healthier after the heavy weight is lifted

But you know what? There's a high probability that they won't do it

God bless you

stonemasonn:
Find a way of monetizing it nah?

My byoda. My thoughts exactly, since the government is no more paying subsidy. Its supposed to be a win-win situation for Nigeria.

VeeVeeMyLuv:
This is due to the uselessness of the naira

If you improve the value of the naira to Cefa level

1 United States Dollar equals
577.00 West African CFA franc

All these smugglers will run, other criminal enterprises will collapse

The economy will be more balanced and heave a sigh of relief
Breathe healthier after the heavy weight is lifted

But you know what? There's a high probability that they won't do it

This has nothing to do with price of Naira!!! Something is cheaper in your country that they smuggle to other countries, yet you still complain so bitterly. Do you actually want it to be more expensive ni? Cos I sincerely don't understand your analogy o.

aribisala0:
Does not make sense

Nigerian Petrol refinery price is similar to America
The Ex refinery price of gasoline is $2 a gallon which works out at less than 850 per litre

So why can't Dangote sell to other West African nations

You make sense pass that guy wey dey write in bold letters.

Things is relatively cheap in Nigeria.... We have to increase the price indirectly through tax


That will be the advise of one good for nothing person to the president.

Nigeria self dey smuggle Rice from cotonu no wahala.

You're typing this while everything on you right now are imported

VeeVeeMyLuv:
This is due to the uselessness of the naira

If you improve the value of the naira to Cefa level

1 United States Dollar equals
577.00 West African CFA franc

All these smugglers will run, other criminal enterprises will collapse

The economy will be more balanced and heave a sigh of relief
Breathe healthier after the heavy weight is lifted

But you know what? There's a high probability that they won't do it

SarkinYarki:
God bless you

That is it

Seriously I don't know what these politicians gain in bastardising the economy

aribisala0:
Does not make sense

Nigerian Petrol refinery price is similar to America
The Ex refinery price of gasoline is $2 a gallon which works out at less than 850 per litre

So why can't Dangote sell to other West African nations

About 840 per litre..not far

stonemasonn:
About 840 per litre..not far

I am not sure what you are trying to communicate

phemmie06:
Things is relatively cheap in Nigeria.... We have to increase the price indirectly through tax


That will be the advise of one good for nothing person to the president.

taxing it slightly to improve govt revenue is an option but building more refieries and becoming the refining hub of west Africa is juicier than all other options. Local jobs and opportunities will be the endproduct.

I fail to see the problem here. Nigeria doesn't have subsidy in place anymore. So if for any reason there is a huge differential in fuel price across the border, then it means the smugglers of petrol into that country are ripping the citizens off.

Lagos to Borno is pretty much the longest distance any truck travels in Nigeria. That's enough landmass that covers the entire geographic length of most countries around Nigeria. Yet fuel in Maiduguri is 920 naira. There is no basis for a price differential in bordering countries.

CodeTemplarr:
taxing it slightly to improve govt revenue is an option but building more refieries and becoming the refining hub of west Africa is juicier than all other options. Local jobs and opportunities will be the endproduct.

You're talking like a technocrat, they will never give such advice to him, though when it is a month to go, they might do a ground breaking party to lay a foundation for $100 billion refinery.

phemmie06:
You're talking like a technocrat, they will never give such advice to him, though when it is a month to go, they might do a ground breaking party to lay a foundation for $100 billion refinery.

same way Buhari and OBJ acted. As if a spell was lifted from them one month to the end.
GEJ's own was auto-lifted when visitors to aso rock plummeted from hundreds a day to almost none after the election.

CodeTemplarr:
taxing it slightly to improve govt revenue is an option but building more refieries and becoming the refining hub of west Africa is juicier than all other options. Local jobs and opportunities will be the endproduct.

No ooo

Shebi them talk say taxing only is the ultimate?

No country in the history of this world that ever turned around transformed their economy through taxation

No country.... Check history

Always sincere and visionary leader who prioritises the welfare and quality of life of the people that usually transforms their country through engaging the masses in massive industrialisation productivity, instead of giving palliatives

Even the communist nations like China were able to lift 900m individuals out of abject puvaty through empowering and encouraging their productive people

The ones we see with humongous taxes are those that have achieved stupendous prosperity.

Taxing is to maintain the wealth.

For goodness sake you don't tax poverty
You tax wealth

I don't know who advices these people

stonemasonn:
About 840 per litre..not far

From my calculations based on $2 per gallon, I got 838.8 naira per litre.

CodeTemplarr:
same way Buhari and OBJ acted. As if a spell was lifted from them one month to the end.
GEJ's own was auto-lifted when visitors to aso rock plummeted from hundreds a day to almost none after the election.

That is why I don't believe in any of these dealers called leaders

The successor always cause more havoc than his predecessor.


By the time this government will end, we will make a comprehensive analysis on who is better between Buhari and BAT.

What are u saying? Is it the price or our porous northern borders?

Any talk of smuggling now is baseless. As long as petrol is not subsidized, there is no harm in selling it across the border. That's actually good news for Dangote and petrol importers.

This is not our problem. Talk to your boys at the borders. Y'all should fix up.

aribisala0:
Does not make sense

Nigerian Petrol refinery price is similar to America
The Ex refinery price of gasoline is $2 a gallon which works out at less than 850 per litre

So why can't Dangote sell to other West African nations

Due to the exchange rate if Petrol is 800 Xof in Benin Republic that's still like 1500...


Selling to neighboring countries still a cashout...

yommen:
My byoda. My thoughts exactly, since the government is no more paying subsidy. Its supposed to be a win-win situation for Nigeria.

you have been scammed

inoki247:
Lol says who....


Due to the exchange rate if Petrol is 800 Xof in Benin Republic that's still like 1500...

another excuse.

so fuel subsidy is no longer the problem. it is now exchange rate?

Tea_nubu is working

So should Nigerian pay price for that? Any govt body plan to increase the fuel price shall be cause.

What is the custom doing at the boarder?