The ongoing fuel crisis in Niger has led to disagreements between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and oil marketers over the continued closure of over 400 petrol stations in border communities.
These stations were shut in 2019 following a federal directive to curb fuel smuggling.
Customs officials maintain that the closure will continue as part of their effort to enforce the ban on fuel exportation through Operation Whirlwind, especially as Niger grapples with an unprecedented fuel shortage.
Abdullahi Maiwada, spokesperson for the NCS, emphasized, “We will not allow fuel to get out of Nigeria illegally. We are not giving smugglers any space. Our operation has been very successful, and we are prosecuting those responsible.”
However, oil marketers are frustrated by the ongoing closure of these stations, which they argue has led to financial losses and job cuts.
Chinedu Ukadike, National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), criticized the policy, saying, “The shutting of petrol stations is not necessary. It punishes the people living around the border areas.
The government should empower Customs to properly check and ensure no fuel crosses the border instead of closing down these stations.”
The situation is further complicated by the fuel scarcity in Niger, where petrol prices have surged to as high as N8,000 per liter, exacerbating the fuel crisis.
The Nigerien government had previously depended on Nigeria for up to 50% of its fuel supply, which has now been disrupted. With the closure of the border stations and the removal of the fuel subsidy in Nigeria, Niger is facing a severe shortage of the vital commodity.