The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPC Ltd.) plans to roll out between 50 and 70 smart self-service fuelling stations across Nigeria within the next six months.
Dr Mumuni Dagazau, Executive Vice President, Downstream, NNPC Ltd., disclosed this on Thursday during the commissioning of the NNPC Retail Ltd. smart mega fuelling station in Abuja.
Located along Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road, between the Flight Training School and the Nigerian Immigration Service Headquarters, the new facility is designed to operate as an energy hub rather than a conventional filling station.
The station is powered by a 200-kilowatt-hour solar system and has storage capacity for 180,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 45,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
It has 16 PMS pumps and two AGO dispensing pumps, alongside several other services.
Smart Fuel Station Offers Multiple Services
The Abuja facility provides self-service fuel dispensing, electric vehicle (EV) charging, gas dispensing, an automated car wash and vehicle servicing.
Dagazau said the Abuja station was the first of several smart facilities planned across the country.
He said NNPC plans to establish about four or five such stations in Abuja, while two others are expected to be inaugurated in 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.
Customers Can Dispense Fuel Themselves
According to Dagazau, customers will be able to access the smart stations and make payments through the NNPC Retail mobile application.
The self-service system will allow customers to dispense fuel themselves, including at night, while EV owners can use the facilities to recharge their vehicles.
The station is equipped with fast EV chargers capable of fully charging a vehicle within 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the vehicle and its battery level.
Customers who are unable to operate the application will receive assistance from personnel at the station.
The NNPC Retail app is free to download, Dagazau said.
NNPC Plans CNG and Renewable Energy Expansion
The EVP said the smart stations would also provide Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), lubricants, automated car wash services and other customer-focused offerings.
He added that NNPC would modernise some existing stations while new facilities would be developed based on customer demand.
Plans are also underway to establish CNG conversion facilities at some of the smart stations, allowing motorists to convert their vehicles while accessing other services.
Dagazau said the Abuja station’s solar power system was part of NNPC’s consideration of wider renewable energy adoption across its retail network.
He said the modernisation programme was being driven by changing customer expectations and advances in technology.
“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.
NNPC Says Automation Will Not Eliminate Jobs
Dagazau said the shift towards smart and automated fuelling stations would not eliminate jobs.
He explained that personnel would still be required to assist customers, support automation and manage EV charging and 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.
The new model, he added, is intended to make visits to NNPC stations more convenient by allowing customers to access different energy and retail services at a single location.
