The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) is set to roll out between 50 and 70 smart, self-service filling stations across the country within the next six months as part of efforts to modernise its retail operations and transform conventional filling stations into integrated energy hubs.

The Executive Vice President, Downstream, NNPC Ltd, Mumuni Dagazau, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the commissioning of a technology-driven service station equipped with electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities along Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road.

Dagazau said the Abuja facility was among the first batch of smart stations being introduced by the company, adding that similar facilities were already being developed in Abuja and Kano. He explained that the new stations would combine petrol sales with EV charging, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG) and other mobility and customer services.

“We are hoping to roll out a significant number, probably about 50 to 70 of these types of stations within the next six months,” Dagazau said, describing the new model as an “energy hub” rather than a conventional filling station.

Under the self-service model, motorists will be able to dispense fuel themselves, including at night, using digital payment platforms. However, station personnel will remain available to assist customers who require support with the technology.

Dagazau also dismissed concerns that automation could lead to job losses, arguing that the broader range of services offered by the smart stations would create new employment opportunities in areas such as automation, EV charging, technical support and energy services.

The Executive Director, Retail Operations and Mobility, NNPC Ltd, Shettima Baba-Kukawa, said the Abuja facility has a storage capacity of 180,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 45,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

The station has 16 PMS pumps, two AGO pumps and six EV charging points installed in partnership with African Motor Works. It is powered entirely by solar energy through a system with a capacity of more than 200 kilowatts.

Baba-Kukawa said the facility would also provide a quick-service restaurant, coffee shop, automated car wash, modern service bay and LPG dispensing facilities, while CNG and a vehicle conversion centre are planned for the station.

He said the station would operate round the clock, with customers able to complete transactions through a mobile application and dispense the exact quantity of fuel purchased.

NNPC, however, said customers who are unfamiliar with the digital system would continue to receive assistance from station attendants.

Dagazau said the company would also modernise its existing retail stations to meet changing consumer expectations, stressing that customers increasingly demanded faster, more convenient and higher-quality services.

The Managing Director of NNPC Retail, Huub Stokman, said the initiative was being introduced against the backdrop of major changes in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, including deregulation and increased domestic refining capacity following the commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery.

Stokman said consumers were increasingly demanding quality products, competitive prices, faster transactions, digital payment options and alternative energy services such as EV charging and CNG.

He added that the use of solar power at the Abuja facility reflected growing demand, particularly among younger consumers, for more sustainable energy solutions.

Also speaking at the commissioning, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nanna Nandap, commended NNPC for integrating EV charging and other modern technologies into conventional fuel retailing.

Nandap said the facility demonstrated Nigeria’s growing adoption of technology, cleaner energy and smart mobility, adding that investments in such infrastructure could support job creation, skills development and industrial growth.

The smart-station programme is expected to form part of NNPC’s broader strategy to reposition its retail network as Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market evolves, bringing conventional fuels, alternative energy, digital transactions and mobility services under one roof.