The Federal Government of Nigeria has banned fuel tankers conveying 60,000-litres from operating on Nigerian roads effective March 1st.
This was announced by the Executive director of distribution systems, storage, and retailing infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, on Wednesday while speaking to journalists in Abuja.
The ban is to mitigate truck-in-transit incidents as there is an increasing number of road accidents involving heavy-duty petroleum tankers.
Remember that on January 18, a petrol tanker explosion at Dikko junction in Gurara LGA of Niger state reportedly killed at least 50 people with several others sustaining varying degrees of injuries.
Speaking at the news conference, Ukoha said the first technical stakeholders’ committee met on Wednesday and set timelines for implementing 10 resolutions to reduce truck-related incidents and fatalities.
The executive director said key agencies participated in the deliberations, including the Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Additionally, he said the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) also took part.
Ukoha said stakeholders agreed that from March 1, 2025, no truck exceeding an axle load of 60,000 litres of hydrocarbon would be allowed to load at any depot.
”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 a safe transportation of petroleum products across the country,” he added.
