The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has inaugurated its first smart fuel station in Nigeria, with plans to roll out between 50 and 70 more facilities across the country within the next six months.
The new self-service station, located on Bill Clinton Drive along Airport Road in Abuja, is part of NNPCL’s plan to transform its conventional filling stations into modern energy hubs offering multiple services.
Mumuni Dagazao, NNPCL’s Downstream Executive Vice President, disclosed the expansion plan during the commissioning of the facility.
“We are hoping to roll out a significant number, probably about 50 to 70 of this type of stations within the next six months,” he said.
Dagazao said the new facility represents the first phase of a broader shift in how NNPCL’s retail outlets are designed and operated.
“What the whole concept is, we are trying to turn from a filling station to an energy hub,” he said.
The new station operates 24 hours a day and currently provides Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) through self-service pumps.
The facility is also equipped with an electric vehicle (EV) charging station, powered by a solar installation mounted on the station’s roof.
NNPCL said compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities are expected to be added later, expanding the range of energy options available to customers.
Although Dagazao did not immediately comment on the pricing of the EV charging service, the report put the cost at approximately N400 per kilowatt-hour.
A fully charged EV battery costing about N16,000 can reportedly provide a range of up to 400 kilometres, while charging takes approximately 40 minutes, according to Dagazao.
The introduction of solar-powered EV charging adds a renewable-energy component to the facility, reflecting the growing push to diversify Nigeria’s transportation energy mix.
Dagazao said NNPCL intends to accelerate the technological transformation of its retail network, suggesting that the company could have its filling stations significantly upgraded within the next 10 months.
He argued that a 10-year target would be too distant for the transformation and challenged the company’s teams to work towards a much faster timeline.
The smart station is therefore expected to serve as a model for the broader modernisation of NNPCL’s retail network.
Hope Stockman, NNPCL Retail Managing Director, said the company’s strategy is driven by changing customer expectations.
He said consumers increasingly want more than fuel from filling stations, including convenience stores, fast-food outlets, coffee shops, banking services, lubricants and car-wash facilities.
“Customers want to see more services, added services, like a fast-food restaurant, a convenience shop, maybe a coffee shop, banking, they would like to have a lube or car wash. All these things you will see here,” Stockman said.
The development signals NNPCL’s intention to reposition its retail stations as broader mobility and energy service centres rather than traditional fuel outlets.
Representatives of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Navy and Africa Motor World attended the commissioning ceremony.
