NMDPRA Seals Ogun Fuel Stations over Repeated Fuel Shortfalls

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has shut down two petrol stations in Ogun State for repeatedly dispensing less fuel than customers paid for and flouting regulatory directives, as the agency strengthens enforcement of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The enforcement was carried out by officials of the authority's Abeokuta Field Office after investigations showed that the affected stations had continued to violate industry regulations despite several previous sanctions.

According to the Head of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure at the Abeokuta Field Office, Olufemi Adebowale, the operators consistently supplied less fuel than indicated on their pumps, removed official seals placed on their facilities and reopened for business without the authority's approval.

Adebowale said the stations had been under close monitoring since 2025 because of repeated compliance failures.

"The station has been sealed not less than six times, yet it keeps removing our seals and resuming operations," he said, adding that the operators also failed to honour several invitations from the regulator.

The stations will remain closed until they meet all regulatory conditions, including the payment of prescribed penalties.

The authority further disclosed that it is considering suspending their operating licences, subject to management approval.

Consumer Protection Drives Enforcement

The enforcement is part of the NMDPRA's wider effort to ensure motorists receive the quantity of fuel they pay for and to improve compliance across Nigeria's downstream petroleum sector.

Since the deregulation of the downstream market, the authority has increased inspections in response to growing complaints about inaccurate pump calibration, under-dispensing and other practices that short-change consumers.

The campaign has gathered momentum over the past two years. In February 2025, the NMDPRA sealed nine filling stations, seven in Kogi State and two in Ogun, for under-dispensing, unauthorised branding and other regulatory violations. Around the same period, it also shut two filling stations and a gas plant in Ogun over safety breaches and operating without the required approvals.

The enforcement continued in February 2026 when inspectors sealed 11 petrol stations in Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor under the authority's Operation One Litre for One Litre campaign after uncovering under-dispensing, faulty dispensing pumps and other unfair practices.

The repeated inspections show the regulator's determination to improve standards in Nigeria's deregulated fuel market, where consumers now pay market-based prices and expect every litre purchased to be accurately dispensed. The exercise is also intended to discourage sharp practices and build greater confidence in fuel retailing across the country.

Adebowale warned that any attempt by the affected stations to break official seals or resume operations without approval would attract tougher sanctions, including criminal prosecution.

He assured that marketers who comply with industry regulations have nothing to worry about, but operators who continue to exploit consumers or disregard the Petroleum Industry Act will face the penalties provided under the law.