By Henryrich Ojo | Newsworld

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has announced plans to roll out between 50 and 70 smart self-service filling stations across Nigeria within the next six months.

The new facilities are designed to operate as integrated energy hubs, allowing motorists to purchase petrol and other energy products while accessing services including electric vehicle charging, gas dispensing, automated car washing and vehicle servicing.

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The Executive Vice President, Downstream, NNPC Ltd., Dr Mumuni Dagazau, disclosed the plan on Thursday at the commissioning of NNPC Retail Ltd.’s smart mega fuelling station along Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road, Abuja.

The facility is located between the Flight Training School and the Nigerian Immigration Service Headquarters.

Dagazau described the Abuja station as the first of several facilities planned under the new model, adding that four or five additional smart stations are expected to be established in Abuja, while two more are planned for Kano.

“We are hoping to roll out a significant number, between 50 and 70 of these types of stations within the next six months.

“So, this is what you’ll be seeing going forward from NNPC.

“I think the most important thing for us is the customer’s wants. It is a centre where you can access different forms of energy, including EV, electricity, gas and petrol.

“So, we are turning from a filling station to an energy hub,” he said.

What the Abuja Smart Station Offers

The newly commissioned Abuja facility has a 180,000-litre storage capacity for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 45,000 litres for Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

It is equipped with 16 PMS dispensing pumps and two AGO pumps, while customers can dispense fuel themselves and make payments through the NNPC Retail mobile application.

Beyond conventional fuel sales, the station offers electric vehicle charging, gas dispensing, automated car washing and vehicle servicing.

Dagazau said the smart stations would also provide products and services including Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and lubricants.

He added that the facilities would be accessible to customers around the clock, including at night.

EV Charging, Solar Power

The Abuja station features fast electric vehicle chargers capable of fully charging some vehicles within 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the vehicle model and battery level.

The facility is also powered by a 200-kilowatt-hour solar system, reflecting NNPC’s interest in expanding the use of renewable energy across its retail network.

Dagazau said the company could not afford to ignore technological changes and evolving customer expectations.

“We cannot ignore innovation and technology and leave our stations the way they have always been. In the next few years, most NNPC stations will look like this,” he said.

Self-Service Will Not Eliminate Jobs

The NNPC downstream executive also dismissed concerns that the introduction of self-service facilities could lead to significant job losses.

According to him, personnel will remain necessary to assist customers, manage automated systems, support electric vehicle charging and provide other services.

“What we are doing is creating jobs. Somebody has to support the integration and automation, while personnel are also needed to support customers using the EV facilities.

“The difference is in how we deliver services to customers. The guarantee and comfort of the customer are what we are after,” he said.

Customers will require the NNPC Retail mobile application to use the self-service facility, although Dagazau said workers would assist motorists who are unable to operate the application.

CNG Conversion Facilities Planned

Dagazau further disclosed that NNPC was considering the establishment of CNG vehicle conversion facilities at some of its smart stations.

The planned centres would enable motorists to convert their vehicles to CNG while accessing other energy products and services at the same locations.

He also said some existing NNPC filling stations would be upgraded as part of the company’s modernisation programme.

New smart stations, he explained, would be constructed in locations where customer demand justified the investment.

The planned expansion represents a shift in NNPC’s retail strategy from conventional petrol stations towards integrated energy centres incorporating petrol, gas, electricity, renewable energy and emerging vehicle technologies.