The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has convened a workshop with government security agencies to strengthen inter-agency collaboration in tackling the smuggling and diversion of petroleum products.
The workshop focused on improving cooperation among regulatory, security and enforcement agencies, as well as strengthening the use of technology and data-driven surveillance to monitor petroleum product movements.
The NMDPRA Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, said diversion of petroleum products undermined the integrity and efficiency of the downstream market.
He said every litre diverted from its legitimate destination could distort demand and supply data, weaken investor confidence and affect the sustainability of the petroleum industry.
Ukoha stressed the need to complement physical enforcement with data-driven surveillance and stronger collaboration among relevant agencies.
According to him, improved traceability and accountability of petroleum product movements would enable authorities to identify diversion risks earlier and strengthen the resilience of the petroleum supply chain.