Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that fuel tankers exceeding 60,000 litres will no longer be allowed on the country’s roads, with the ban set to take effect from March 1, 2025.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) disclosed that, by the fourth quarter of 2025, the limit will be further reduced to 45,000 litres. This decision follows concerns over the rising number of road accidents involving heavy-duty petroleum tankers.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, NMDPRA’s Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, highlighted that a stakeholders’ technical committee had agreed on this measure to enhance road safety.
“The first stakeholders’ technical committee met today to establish timelines for about 10 resolutions aimed at addressing the significant increase in truck transit incidents and fatalities,” he said.
The decision was reached after discussions with key agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), among others.
Ukoha also addressed concerns about the quality of fuel in circulation, dismissing recent claims as “bogus, misleading, and unscientific.”
He assured Nigerians that all imported and locally refined petroleum products meet strict regulatory standards. “The regulator would usually be more circumspect and not respond to every comment made in public,” he said.
He emphasized that the NMDPRA remains committed to enforcing industry standards and ensuring the safe transportation and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
