The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has introduced a new requirement mandating crude oil exporters to obtain an export permit, vessel clearance, and a Unique Identification Number before any shipment can leave the country.
This comes as oil producers recorded exports worth ₦12.96 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, despite ongoing feedstock shortages crippling local refinery operations.
The new directive includes verifying the identity of exporters, confirming export volumes, and embedding a Unique Identification Number in every clearance notification to enable real-time tracking of crude shipments.
According to the commission, all key export documents — including the Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin, and cargo manifest — must reference the Unique Identification Number (UIN) to ensure full traceability and regulatory compliance.
The guidelines, approved by Commission Chief Executive Gbenga Komolafe, are designed to tackle persistent challenges such as under-declaration, oil theft, and revenue losses at export terminals.
In the statement issued on Wednesday, the public relations unit of the commission announced that the new guidelines—introduced under Section 10(f) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021—set out a detailed framework for securing export permits, vessel clearance, and a mandatory Unique Identification Number for all exports of crude oil, condensate, natural gas liquids, and petroleum products from Nigeria’s terminals and export points.
The Advance Cargo Declaration solution is designed to strengthen transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s crude oil export operations. It does this by establishing a robust system for declaring and tracking crude oil movements from production sites to export terminals, ensuring that only certified products are cleared for export.
The system is aimed at curbing oil theft, under-declaration, and other irregularities by providing end-to-end visibility of crude oil flows—from the point of origin within Nigeria to the final export destination—ensuring a verifiable record of each shipment.
“The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Advance Cargo Declaration Regulation, 2024, are designed to establish a robust framework for declaring and tracking crude oil and petroleum product exports from Nigeria, monitoring and accounting for the movement of crude oil within the country, preventing disruptions, theft and under-declaration at export terminals and ensuring that only certified and measured products are exported, supporting accurate revenue generation for the government.
“This regulation is designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in Nigeria’s crude oil and petroleum product exports. It ensures only certified and accurately measured volumes are exported. Under the revised regime, exporters must obtain an export permit, vessel clearance, and a Unique Identification Number through the NUPRC’s online platforms before any shipment.
“The commission will validate the identity of exporters and verify export volumes before issuing clearance notifications, which will be embedded with a UIN for tracking. All relevant export documents, including the Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin, and cargo manifest, must reference the UIN, ensuring traceability and compliance,” the statement read.
The NUPRC stated that the new system, powered by its Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) Portal, enables seamless integration with other government export platforms, real-time monitoring, and mandatory upload of cargo data within 24 hours of loading.
The regulation applies to all licences and leases granted or retained under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and covers exports from all terminals and exit points across Nigeria.
The guidelines also empower the Commission to deny vessel clearance in cases of incomplete or false documentation, with offenders subject to administrative fines and other sanctions.
Komolafe stressed that the initiative supports the Commission’s broader mandate to modernise the upstream oil sector, curb waste, boost government revenue, and enforce compliance in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.
