Energy Scam: NMDPRA seals off MRS, StageOil filling stations for short-changing consumers in Rivers

*The surveillance and enforcement team of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority shut the MRS and MRS and StageOil filling stations for under-dispensing petroleum products to motorists, and other members of the public, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

For under-dispensing fuel and short-changing unwary energy consumers, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Thursday , October 8, 2026, shut the MRS station on Azikiwe Road, and StageOil station on Aba Road, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

ConsumerConnect reports the enforcement officials of the NMDPRA sealed off the two fuel retail outlets for under-dispensing petroleum products to motorists, and other members of the public during its routine surveillance and enforcement exercise for filling stations, in Port Harcourt.

The Authority’s inspection team also visited other filling stations during the exercise, including the NNPC Mega Filling Station located at Lagos Bus Stop in the old Port Harcourt Township, RainOil, TotalEnergies and NNPC Filling Station in Trans Amadi across the city.

It was also gathered that the NMDPRA team performed the exercise Thursday, to ascertain the quantity and quality of petroleum products being dispensed by oil retail outlets, as well as compliance with safety standards in the metropolis.

Speaking on the exercise to reporters after the exercise, Dr. Mustapha Lamorde, Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Community of the Authority, said the inspection was aimed at protecting energy consumers from further fuel fraud by filling station owners and operators in the South-South state.

Dr. Lamorde said the NMDPRA had conducted checks on the quantities of products dispensed, their quality, and the safety of the affected retail outlets.

He also explained: “What we did in the field basically is three things: one, to look at the quantity that you’re buying fuel and its relative to what you are selling and the quantity.

“Also the quality of the product you’re buying, whether it is fit for purpose, whether it is on spec and in conformance with our national quality specification.

“And importantly, the safety of the operation of the retail outlets.”

The Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Community at NMDPRA said the surveillance covered petroleum products, including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel, and DPK, otherwise known as kerosene.

He further noted that the team, during Ng the inspection, took samples  randomly for on-the-spot screening as part of the authority’s evidence-based regulatory process.

Lamorde stated: “Some of the retail outlets are actually under-dispensing.

“And you can see that what we did immediately is to seal off some of these retail outlets, and then the necessary regulatory action will follow, basically sanctions and all that.”

He, however, disclosed that the inspection found that one of the filling stations visited was over-dispensing without knowing it.

The team later directed the operator to stop sales, and recalibrate the pump at the retail outlet before resuming operations to prevent further losses, said he.

According to him, filling stations found to be compliant were encouraged to maintain the standard, emphasising that the ultimate objective was to ensure that Nigerians got exactly what they paid for.

Lamorde averred: “The end game for Nigerians, for consumers, is to make sure that they get what they are paying for.

“If you’re buying fuel, you get the quantity that you’re paying for.

“Secondly, you get the quality, which is very, very important for your health, for the environment and also for your vehicle.”

He equally assured energy consumers, in Rivers State, and other parts of the country that the Authority would continue to enforce compliance, and sanction operators found violating regulations.

The Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Community of NMDPRA further stated: “We want to assure Nigerians, and even our brothers here in Rivers State and all over the country, that we continue to do our job to make sure that the quality of product that they get is on spec and also they pay what they pay for, they get what they pay for.”

Lamorde, therefore, urged members of the public to report suspected fuel infractions through the NMDPRA official communication channels.

He as well said that the Authority would impose appropriate sanctions on any erring oil operators.