The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) plans to establish between 50 and 70 smart, self-service filling stations across Nigeria within the next six months as it upgrades its retail network.
The new stations will combine fuel retailing with other energy and mobility services, including electric vehicle charging, liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas.
NNPC’s Executive Vice President, Downstream, Mumuni Dagazau, announced the plan in Abuja during the commissioning of a technology-enabled station equipped with electric vehicle charging facilities.
The newly commissioned outlet, located along Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road, Abuja, is designed to operate as an energy hub rather than a conventional filling station.
Under the new system, customers will be able to purchase and dispense petrol themselves using digital payments, including during night hours. However, station attendants will remain available to assist customers who need help with the technology.
Dagazau said the shift to self-service would not lead to job losses, arguing that the wider range of services at the smart stations would create additional roles in technology support, automation, electric vehicle services and other operations.
The Abuja facility has a petrol storage capacity of 180,000 litres and can hold 45,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil. It has 16 petrol pumps, two diesel pumps and six electric vehicle charging points.
The station is powered entirely by solar energy, using a system with a capacity of more than 200 kilowatts.
Other services planned for the facility include a quick-service restaurant, coffee shop, automated car wash, vehicle service centre and LPG dispensing. NNPC also plans to introduce CNG services and a vehicle conversion centre.
NNPC Retail Managing Director, Huub Stokman, said the modernisation programme was driven by changes in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market and rising consumer expectations.
He said motorists now want faster service, digital payment options, competitive prices, quality products and access to alternative energy sources such as CNG and electric vehicle charging.
The company said the smart-station rollout forms part of its broader plan to modernise its retail outlets and adapt its network to the changing energy market.
