For motorists already paying heavily to keep their cars on the road, the amount showing on a fuel pump may not always tell the whole story.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has now ordered filling stations across the country to check and recalibrate their dispensing equipment, following reported cases of motorists receiving less petrol than the quantity displayed on the pump.

The regulator’s warning is straightforward: stations caught repeatedly under-dispensing fuel could lose their operating licences.

In an industry notice issued on Tuesday, NMDPRA directed retail outlets to immediately verify their dispensers and totalisers, the equipment used to measure the quantity of fuel sold. The authority said it had observed cases of under-dispensing across the country and described the practice as a serious breach of consumer trust.

The directive comes after a series of enforcement operations against filling stations. According to reports, about 20 outlets were sealed by the regulator between 2025 and 2026 over under-dispensing and related violations. Two stations in Ogun State, for example, were shut in July after an enforcement exercise found under-dispensing and other breaches of regulatory requirements.

NMDPRA said stations found with inaccurate dispensing equipment or caught under-dispensing would be required to correct the problem immediately. Persistent or serious violations could attract sanctions, including revocation of the outlet’s licence.

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The warning puts the focus on a problem that can be difficult for motorists to detect. A customer can watch the litres displayed on the pump increase, pay the corresponding amount and drive away without knowing whether the quantity actually delivered matches what was recorded.

NMDPRA’s order is therefore not simply about inspecting pumps. It is also an attempt to restore confidence in a transaction where the customer has little control over the measurement.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said it had circulated the regulator’s directive to its members nationwide. Its Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, said competition in the deregulated downstream market made price, product quality and quantity important to retaining customers.

Ukadike, however, acknowledged that sharp practices by individual pump attendants could not be completely ruled out. He said IPMAN was working to reorient marketers and their employees, while stressing that operators also had a responsibility to ensure their dispensing equipment remained accurate.

The regulator’s action also recognises that under-dispensing does not necessarily have to involve deliberate manipulation. Faulty or improperly calibrated equipment can result in inaccurate measurements, which is why NMDPRA has ordered operators to check and verify their systems.

For motorists, though, the distinction does not change the outcome. If they pay for 20 litres, they expect 20 litres.

With NMDPRA increasing inspections and threatening tougher sanctions, filling station operators now have to demonstrate that what their pumps promise is what their customers actually receive.

For stations that continue to get it wrong, the cost could be more than an unhappy customer. It could be their licence to operate.

Meiza Nigeria