AA Rano unveils unmanned fuel stations

Omeiza Bilal

AA Rano Nigeria, one of Nigeria’s leading downstream petroleum marketing companies, has unveiled Nigeria’s first fully automated and unmanned fuel stations, marking a major step in the digital transformation of the fuel retail sector.

The initiative follows a business partnership between AA Rano and Petrosoft Limited, a Nigerian technology firm specialising in downstream oil and gas business management systems. Under the partnership, Petrosoft will deploy its automated fuel station technology across AA Rano’s retail network nationwide.

According to a statement on Tuesday, the unmanned stations are scheduled to go live in January 2026 and will offer 24-hour self-service fuelling, contactless payments and real-time monitoring, eliminating the need for on-site attendants.

AA Rano said the stations are designed to improve transparency, reduce operational inefficiencies and give customers confidence that they receive the exact quantity of fuel paid for.

Speaking on the development, General Manager, Retail, AA Rano Nigeria, Mohammed Sule, said the move reflects the company’s focus on innovation and service delivery in a highly competitive downstream market.

“Our commitment to excellence and innovation led us to Petrosoft. By introducing unmanned, automated stations, we are not just adopting technology; 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.

Petrosoft Limited will power the stations using its proprietary SmartPump technology, which integrates retail automation, corporate fuel management and inventory monitoring.

The technology enables self-service refuelling, automatic vehicle identification for corporate fleets and real-time dispenser control, while also providing advanced tank gauging and cloud-based monitoring to track fuel levels, detect leaks and curb theft.

Chief Executive Officer of Petrosoft Limited, Dr Joshua Denila, said the project demonstrates how locally developed technology can address long-standing inefficiencies in Nigeria’s energy retail market.

“We are proud to partner with AA Rano on this historic project. Our solutions are 100 per cent 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 for end users,” Denila said.