Automation Hits Fuel Retail: AA Rano Unveils Nigeria’s First Unmanned Filling Stations
- AA Rano Nigeria unveils Nigeria’s first fully automated unmanned fuel stations, set to launch in January 2026
- Although a positive development, concerns arise over potential job losses as automation reshapes the Nigerian fuel retail sector
- The automation technology, Petrosoft, enables 24-hour self-service fuelling with contactless payments, improving transparency and efficiency
AA Rano Nigeria, one of the country’s leading downstream petroleum marketing companies owned by billionaire businessman Auwalu Abdullahi Rano, has unveiled Nigeria’s first fully automated and unmanned fuel stations.
The move marks a major shift in fuel retailing and has sparked concerns over potential job losses across the sector.
Source: Getty Images
The initiative is coming at a time of intense competition in the downstream oil industry, following recent pricing adjustments by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, which reduced petrol pump prices nationwide.
A leap into automated fuel retail
The unmanned fuel stations are the result of a strategic partnership between AA Rano Nigeria and Petrosoft Limited, a Nigerian technology company specialising in downstream oil and gas solutions.
Under the agreement, Petrosoft will deploy its automated fuel station technology across AA Rano’s nationwide retail network.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, the fully automated stations are scheduled to go live in January 2026. They will operate 24 hours a day, offering self-service fuelling, contactless payment options and real-time system monitoring, all without on-site fuel attendants.
AA Rano said the innovation is aimed at improving transparency, cutting operational inefficiencies and ensuring customers receive the exact quantity of fuel they pay for.
How does petrol sale automation technology work?
The stations will be powered by Petrosoft’s proprietary SmartPump technology, which integrates retail automation, inventory management and corporate fuel monitoring into a single platform.
The system allows customers to fuel their vehicles themselves, while corporate fleets can refuel using automatic vehicle identification technology.
It also enables real-time control of fuel dispensers and advanced tank gauging to monitor fuel levels, detect leaks and reduce theft.
Cloud-based monitoring ensures that station operators can oversee operations remotely, making it possible to run outlets with minimal human presence.
AA Rano defends move as innovation drive
Speaking on the development, Mohammed Sule, general manager, Retail at AA Rano Nigeria, said the decision reflects the company’s commitment to innovation in an increasingly competitive market.
“Our commitment to excellence and innovation led us to Petrosoft. By introducing unmanned, automated stations, we are setting a new standard for reliability and speed in the Nigerian downstream sector. This project ensures our customers can fuel at any time with total confidence,” Sule said.
Local technology with global standards
Petrosoft Limited’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Joshua Denila, described the project as a landmark achievement for locally developed technology.
“We are proud to partner with AA Rano on this historic project. Our solutions are 100 percent locally developed but meet global standards for IoT and automation.
From retail outlets to large-scale corporate fuelling hubs, our goal is to eliminate inefficiencies and deliver a world-class experience,” Denila said.
Source: Getty Images
Job loss concerns take centre stage
According to a report by Punch, despite the optimism around efficiency and transparency, industry watchers have raised concerns that widespread adoption of unmanned fuel stations could threaten thousands of attendant jobs across Nigeria’s fuel retail sector.
As automation gains ground, labour unions and policymakers may be forced to confront the social impact of technology-driven reforms in an industry that employs a significant number of low-skilled workers.
Dangote delivers 43 million litres of fuel in one day
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery dismissed reports that it shut down its petrol processing unit, revealing that it delivered 43.3 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit to the Nigerian market in a single day.
Officials of the refinery said the volume loaded on Saturday, January 3 alone was enough to meet more than half of Nigeria’s estimated daily petrol consumption, countering claims that production had been halted for maintenance.
The clarification follows widespread reports over the weekend that the refinery had suspended operations, a claim that triggered sharp increases in ex-depot petrol prices across major fuel trading hubs.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
