The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has announced that 60,000-litre fuel tankers will be banned from Nigerian roads starting March 1, 2025. The move aims to reduce truck-related accidents, which have caused fires and fatalities.
Additionally, trucks exceeding 45,000 litres in capacity will no longer be allowed to load petroleum products by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Ogbugo Ukoha, NMDPRA’s Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, said the decision was made in response to the increasing number of accidents involving heavy-duty petroleum tankers.
“The first stakeholders’ technical committee met today to outline timelines for implementing about 10 resolutions to reduce truck-related accidents and fatalities,” Ukoha stated.
He explained that after discussions with key agencies—including the Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), and NMDPRA—it was agreed that, from March 1, 2025, any truck carrying over 60,000 litres of fuel would not be allowed to load at any depot.
“The key achievement here is that, for the first time, all stakeholders reached a consensus. We will continue working together to ensure the safe transportation of petroleum products across Nigeria,” he added.
Commenting on the rising fatalities, Ukoha stated, “In 2023, we noticed a significant increase in truck accidents. However, in 2024, the situation worsened.
“During our recent stakeholders’ meeting, we highlighted that incidents in January alone were on track to match or even exceed 2024 figures. We must take action now. There are about 10 interventions that will help address this crisis.”
