FG Bans 60,000-litre Fuel Tankers, Others From Nigerian Roads, Gives Date for Implementation
- The federal government has finally taken action on the matter of fuel tanker accidents leading to the loss of lives and properties
- The NMDPRA says it is adopting a phased approach which begins with the ban on 60,000-litre fuel tankers and higher volumes
- The regulator gave the date for implementation and hinted that more bans will happen before the end of 2025
Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.
The federal government has declared that fuel tankers with 60,000-litre capacity or more will no longer be allowed on Nigerian roads.
This new directive will take effect from March 1, 2025, and will be enforced by several stakeholders.
Announcing the new directive, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said this decision came as a measure to reduce the number of road accidents involving these heavy-duty trucks in Nigeria.
Source: UGC
NMDPRA Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, Mr. Ogbugo Ukoha, disclosed it to pressmen at a briefing in Abuja, adding that the affected tankers will not even be allowed to load petroleum products from any depot.
He added that the government is adopting a phased approach, and more bans will be done in subsequent quarters to keep Nigerian roads safe.
Fuel tanker accidents on the increase
There has been a worrisome increase in the number of fuel tanker-related accidents across Nigeria, especially in recent months.
Recall that just a couple of weeks ago, a fire erupted at the Shakkotu filling station in Dutse, Jigawa, after a fuel tanker exploded during offloading, causing widespread panic and significant damage to the station and nearby properties.
An analysis by Legit.ng showed that up to 120 people died in separate tanker explosions in three different states, just in January 2025.
The new directive from the government will see a reduction in such incidences.
Source: Getty Images
Stakeholders agree to ban 60,000 litre fuel tankers
With the new directive, 60,000-litre fuel tankers and other tankers with higher volumes will now be considered heavy-duty and no longer allowed on Nigerian roads, the SUN reports.
Ukoha noted in his announcement that there had been wide consultations with relevant stakeholders including the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) before the consensus decision was reached.
He noted that the increase in fuel-tanker-related accidents had become alarming in recent years, claiming lots of innocent lives and leading to the loss of properties. At least 3500 lives have been lost in such accidents between 2010 and 2025, he revealed.
He also hinted that by Q4 2025, the ban will be extended to include 45,000-litre capacity fuel tankers, preventing them from loading petroleum products to travel on Nigerian roads.
Fuel tanker explodes in Niger state
In related news, a fuel tanker exploded at Kusogbogi in Agaie Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger state.
According to reports, the incident happened at the boundary between the Agaie and Lapai LGAs of the state.
Eyewitnesses said the tanker fell and caught fire in its attempt to overtake another truck. No lives were lost in that accident.
Proofreading by James, Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
