MEA Energy deploys SmartPump tech to automate fuel retail across Nigeria

MEA Energy, an indigenous downstream oil and gas company, is rolling out automation across its filling stations in Nigeria following a partnership with retail technology provider Petrosoft, in a move that signals a growing shift toward data-driven fuel retail in the country.

The company said it has adopted Petrosoft’s SmartPump technology to power its expanding network of petrol and LPG stations, enabling faster service, real-time monitoring, and improved transparency across operations. The technology automates key aspects of station management, from fuel dispensing and inventory tracking to pricing and logistics oversight.

SmartPump, developed by Petrosoft, is an end-to-end retail automation platform designed specifically for fuel stations. It provides downstream operators with real-time visibility into pump performance, tank levels, sales volumes, and inventory movement, helping eliminate losses and reduce operational inefficiencies that have long plagued Nigeria’s downstream sector.

MEA Energy Trading Limited, which is a subsidiary of a UAE-based commodities and trade finance consortium, said the technology will support its rapid retail expansion while maintaining international operating standards.

According to Chris Vassilopoulos, MEA Energy’s chief commercial officer, the partnership reflects a strategic decision to embed automation at the core of the company’s retail operations.

“Following an exhaustive global search for a technology partner capable of meeting the rigorous demands of the African energy market, MEA Energy identified Petrosoft’s SmartPump solution as the gold standard for automation, transparency, and operational efficiency,” he said.

Vassilopoulos described the collaboration as a blueprint for what he called the ‘Station of the Future’ in Africa, combining UAE-backed financial capacity with locally deployed technology to modernise fuel retailing in Nigeria.

“As we scale our retail footprint, the integration of SmartPump technology will provide real-time oversight of fuel inventory, sales data, and pump precision, ensuring that MEA Energy continues to deliver world-class service to Nigerian consumers,” he added.

MEA Energy operates as a fully integrated downstream player, covering fuel importation, wholesale distribution, retail, and logistics across ocean, coastal, and overland freight. The company said automation will help unify these activities by ensuring that every litre of fuel is tracked from depot to pump.

Joshua Denila, Petrosoft’s chief executive officer, said the adoption of SmartPump by MEA Energy reflects a broader transformation underway in Africa’s downstream energy market.

“SmartPump was engineered to be resilient and adaptable, capable of operating in diverse and challenging environments,” Denila said, adding that the platform is well suited to Nigeria’s high-volume fuel retail infrastructure.

He highlighted features such as zero-loss integrity through advanced calibration and real-time tank gauging, remote station management via secure cloud systems, and integrated logistics that connect tanker truck deliveries directly to retail outlets.

Beyond operational efficiency, Denila said the technology also addresses consumer trust, a long-standing issue in Nigeria’s fuel retail market.

“Automated, tamper-proof dispensing ensures customers receive exactly what they pay for, helping build long-term brand loyalty in a highly competitive sector,” he said.

As fuel marketers face rising operating costs, regulatory scrutiny, and consumer demand for transparency, the deployment of technologies like SmartPump suggests that automation is becoming less of an option and more of a necessity in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.

Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.

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