The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPC Ltd.) says it plans to roll out between 50 and 70 smart self-service fuelling stations across the country within the next six months.
Dr Mumuni Dagazau, Executive Vice President, Downstream, NNPC Ltd., disclosed this on Thursday at the commissioning of the NNPC Retail Ltd. smart mega fuelling station in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the station, powered by a 200-kilowatt-hour solar system, is located along Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road, between the Flight Training School and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Headquarters, Abuja.
The facility has a 180,000-litre Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 45,000-litre Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) storage capacity, with 16 PMS pumps and two AGO dispensing pumps.
It also offers self-service fuel dispensing, electric vehicle (EV) charging, gas dispensing, automated car wash and vehicle servicing.
Dagazau said the initiative was part of NNPC’s efforts to transform conventional fuelling stations into modern energy hubs offering multiple energy and retail services.
He said the Abuja station was the first of several such facilities planned across the country, adding that about four or five would be established in Abuja, while two others would 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.
Dagazau said the smart stations would allow customers to access services and make payments through the NNPC Retail mobile application.
He said customers could visit the stations at any time, including at night, to dispense fuel themselves or recharge their electric vehicles.
He said the facility was equipped with fast EV chargers capable of fully charging a vehicle within 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the vehicle and battery level.
The EVP said the smart stations would also provide Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), lubricant services, automated car wash and other customer-oriented services.
He said NNPC would modernise existing stations as part of the rollout, while new facilities would be developed based on customer demand.
Dagazau said the transformation would not eliminate jobs, noting that personnel would still be required to support customers, automation, 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.
Dagazau said customers would require the NNPC Retail application to access the self-service facility, adding that the application was free to download.
He, however, said customers who were unable to operate the application would be assisted by personnel at the station.
The EVP said the station was powered by solar energy, adding that NNPC Ltd. was considering wider adoption of renewable energy across its retail network.
He said the company’s modernisation programme was 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.
Dagazau said the new model was designed to make customers’ visits to NNPC stations more convenient by providing several services in one location.
He added that plans were underway to establish CNG conversion facilities at some of the smart stations, enabling motorists to convert their vehicles while accessing other services.(NAN)
