The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority took action against filling stations and marketers for reportedly receiving stolen fuels. This followed operations by the Nigeria Customs Service in August 2024, resulting in the interception of seven petrol trucks, sealing of 12 retail outlets, and seizure of 466,000 litres of petrol and 23 vehicles. Seven suspects were prosecuted as a result.
The Nigeria Customs Service intensified ‘Operation Whirlwind’ to combat petroleum smuggling, leading to significant seizures and enforcement actions. A total of 83 seizures were made in August, including foreign rice, petrol, cannabis sativa, vehicles, and other contraband items. The total Duty Paid Value of these seizures amounted to N975,066,791.65.
Furthermore, the service reported generating N293.3bn from import and excise duties in August 2024, with N277.5bn from import duties and N15.8bn from excise duties. These revenues exemplify the NCS’s dedication to enhancing government income through customs regulations enforcement and monitoring. The NCS highlighted its achievements in revenue generation, enforcement activities, trade facilitation, and engagement with strategic stakeholders in August 2024.