Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) has begun exploring technology-driven solutions to improve fuel retailing and provide customers with a more convenient energy purchasing experience.

The company recently commissioned its first Smart Self-Service Station in Abuja through its downstream subsidiary, NNPC Retail. The facility combines self-service fuelling with digital payment options and other energy solutions, including electric vehicle (EV) charging, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG).

The initiative is part of the company’s broader transformation agenda, which focuses on improving operational efficiency, strengthening customer relations and positioning NNPC Limited for the future of the energy industry.

In this interview, NNPC Limited’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, discusses the thinking behind the Smart Self-Service Station, its potential benefits for Nigerians and the
company’s plans to expand the model across the country.

What is the strategic significance of NNPC Retail’s first Smart Self-Service Station?
The commissioning of the Smart Self-Service Station is an important step in NNPC Limited’s culture transformation journey, which began more than a year ago. The journey is built around four strategic pillars: Enterprise-First Mindset, Execution Excellence, Profitable Growth and Partner of Choice.

For NNPC Retail, the station provides an opportunity to translate these principles into a practical customer experience. It demonstrates how technology can be applied to everyday fuel retail operations to improve efficiency and respond to changing consumer expectations.

The initiative also reflects our ambition to build a more customer-focused and digitally enabled energy company. As the energy industry evolves, customers increasingly expect services that are convenient, accessible and transparent. We recognise the need to respond to these expectations while ensuring that our operations remain sustainable.

The Smart Self-Service Station is therefore more than a new retail outlet. It represents an effort to rethink how Nigerians interact with energy service providers and how we can deliver value through innovation.

By introducing a model that combines automated fuelling with digital payments and other energy solutions, we are taking steps towards a more integrated retail experience. This is an important part of our broader transformation agenda.

How does the initiative support NNPC Limited’s broader transformation agenda?
The Smart Self-Service Station is a practical demonstration of how we are applying technology to improve our operations. It directly supports our Execution Excellence pillar, which focuses on delivering results efficiently and ensuring that our initiatives create lasting value.

Technology provides opportunities to simplify processes, improve monitoring and make services more responsive to customers. By incorporating digital systems into our retail operations, we are taking steps towards making the fuel purchasing experience more convenient and efficient.

The initiative also supports our ambition to become a genuine Partner of Choice. This means building a business that understands the needs of its customers and responds to them in meaningful ways.

We want Nigerians to see NNPC Limited as a company that is willing to embrace new ideas and improve the way it delivers services. The Smart Station is one of the ways we are demonstrating that commitment.

Transparency is another important consideration. We believe that technology-enabled operations can support greater visibility in transactions and improve accountability across our retail business. These are essential elements of building trust with customers.

The station also introduces additional energy options, including EV charging, LPG and CNG. Their inclusion reflects the need to consider the changing nature of energy consumption and the different solutions customers may require.

We developed the model in collaboration with our technology and retail partners. Our objective is to establish a more connected and adaptable energy retail system that can respond to future developments in the industry.

How soon should Nigerians expect the Smart Station model to be replicated across the country?
We understand that Nigerians want to see the benefits of this innovation extended to more communities as quickly as possible. We share that expectation and recognise the importance of making our services more accessible.

However, our approach is to ensure that expansion is both timely and sustainable. Execution Excellence is not simply about moving quickly; it is also about making sure that what we deliver works effectively and can be maintained over time.

The first Smart Station serves as a proof of concept. Our immediate priority is to observe how it performs, assess the customer experience and identify areas that may require improvement.

We are working with our technology partners to evaluate the system and make the necessary adjustments.

This process will help us understand what works well and what needs to be refined before we extend the model to other locations.

We are moving deliberately, but that should not be mistaken for a lack of urgency. Our intention is to ensure that when we begin scaling the initiative, we are expanding a model that has been properly tested and is capable of meeting customer expectations.

Subject to the outcome of the initial deployment, we expect the rollout to take place in structured phases across the country.

Several factors will guide the expansion, including customer demand, the suitability of each location, infrastructure readiness and the availability of the various energy solutions.

Not every location will necessarily require the same combination of services. Our approach will therefore take into account the specific needs and conditions of each community.

We remain committed to advancing the initiative while ensuring that the infrastructure and systems we introduce can deliver lasting value.

How will NNPC ensure that the technology delivers transparent pricing, accurate dispensing, secure payments and a reliable customer experience?

Trust is central to the success of any retail operation, particularly one that involves essential products such as fuel. Customers need to have confidence that they are paying the correct price, receiving the quantity they purchased and using a system that protects their transactions.

At NNPC Limited, we recognise that technology must be supported by strong operational controls if it is to deliver these benefits.

The Smart Station has been designed to incorporate real-time monitoring of transactions and equipment performance. This will help us track operations, identify potential issues and respond to them promptly.

We are also putting maintenance and customer support processes in place to ensure that problems can be addressed when they arise. Our goal is to prevent disruptions from becoming prolonged experiences for customers.

Pricing accuracy and dispensing reliability are equally important. Controls have been incorporated into the system to support accurate pricing and dispensing calibration. These measures have been developed in collaboration with our technology providers to ensure that the station operates according to the required standards.

Digital payment security is another key consideration. As more customers adopt electronic payment methods, protecting transactions and maintaining confidence in the system become increasingly important.

We are paying attention to the security of the payment processes incorporated into the station and the systems that support them.

However, we understand that technology alone cannot guarantee a satisfactory customer experience. The way the system is managed, maintained and improved will also determine its effectiveness.

For this reason, we intend to use operational data and customer feedback to assess the station’s performance continuously. Listening to customers will help us identify challenges and make improvements where necessary.

Our objective is straightforward: to provide a service that is convenient, secure and transparent. Customers should be able to complete their transactions with confidence and leave the station knowing that they received what they paid for.

As we continue with the initiative, our focus will remain on combining innovation with accountability.

The success of the Smart Self-Service Station will ultimately be measured by how well it serves customers and how effectively it contributes to the transformation of NNPC Limited’s retail operations.