THE Federal Government has announced a ban on fuel tankers carrying 60,000 litres of petroleum products on Nigerian roads, effective March 1.
The decision aims at curbing accidents involving heavy-duty petroleum trucks, was reached after consultations with key industry stakeholders on Wednesday, February 19.
Speaking after the meeting, the Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ogbugo Ukoha, said the measure was introduced following a rise in road crashes involving fuel tankers.
”The first stakeholder’s technical committee met today to drill down and put timelines for about 10 resolutions that had been taken on how to drive down the significant increase that had been recorded in relation to trucks and transit incidents and fatalities, ” he said.
He noted that discussions with agencies such as the Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), among others, led to a unanimous resolution that from March 1, any tanker with an axle load exceeding 60,000 litres of hydrocarbon will be barred from loading at petroleum depots.
Ukoha emphasised that yesterday was the first time all stakeholders reached a consensus on the issue and assured that collaboration would continue to ensure the safe transportation of petroleum products across the country.
”The important thing about this is that, for the first time, consensus was built amongst all stakeholders, and we’re continuing to encourage that we will work together cohesively to deliver safe transportation of petroleum products across the country,” he said.
Regulator dismisses fuel quality concerns
Addressing concerns about the quality of fuel in circulation, Ukoha dismissed recent claims questioning fuel standards as bogus, misleading, and unscientific.
He reaffirmed that all imported and locally refined petroleum products met regulatory standards before distribution to consumers.
The NMDPRA, he stated, remained committed to enforcing petroleum industry standards, ensuring product quality, and supporting local refineries in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
He urged Nigerians to disregard unfounded social media claims regarding fuel quality.
”As a regulator, we’re working very hard in compliance with the presidential and statutory mandates to support the local refineries and build capacity to a point that Nigerians will have sufficient products. Not just quality, but pricing is also done in a transparent, competitive and fair way. That’s the priority we have as the regulator, and that is what we concern ourselves with every day, ” he said.
Ukoha further assured that the regulatory authority adhered to the specifications set by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), which include parameters such as the Research Octane Number (RON), sulfur content, density, and oxygenate levels.
”Before any product is distributed in Nigeria, the regulator ensures that from the load port of the product, whether from a domestic refinery or imported from outside the country, and as well as at the discharge port, accredited laboratories must test every product and duly issue certificates of quality to indicate that the product on board the vessel meets those specifications.
”It’s only on that basis that products are then discharged and distributed across the country,’’ he said.
Recent tanker explosions in Nigeria
The Federal Government’s decision to ban fuel tankers carrying over 60,000 litres followed a series of tragic explosions that have resulted in significant loss of lives and properties in recent months.
The nation has witnessed a disturbing trend of fuel-related explosions, often linked to poor road conditions, reckless driving, inadequate enforcement of safety regulations, and public ignorance of the dangers associated with scooping fuel.
One of the most recent incidents occurred in Dikko junction, Niger State, in January, when a fuel tanker overturned, leading to a massive explosion that killed over 86 people and injured dozens who were scooping fuel.
Similarly, in October 2024, a fuel tanker explosion in Taura Local Government Area, Jigawa State, claimed over 160 lives who were also attempting to scoop fuel from the tanker.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M