The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has announced a ban on 60,000-litre fuel tankers from operating on Nigerian roads, effective March 1, 2025. This move aims to mitigate truck-in-transit incidents and enhance road safety.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Ogbugo Ukoha, NMDPRA’s Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, explained that the decision was made in response to the rising number of accidents involving heavy-duty petroleum tankers.
“The first stakeholder’s technical committee met today to drill down and put timelines for about 10 resolutions on how to reduce the significant increase in truck-in-transit incidents and fatalities,” Ukoha said.
The decision followed deliberations involving key stakeholders, including:
- 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)
- Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN)
Following a consensus, any fuel tanker exceeding 60,000 litres will not be allowed to load at any product depot from March 1, 2025.
Addressing concerns over fuel quality in circulation, Ukoha dismissed recent claims questioning petroleum product standards, labeling them as misleading and unscientific. He assured Nigerians that both imported and locally refined petroleum products meet strict regulatory standards before being released into the market.
“People who make unscientific claims and the so-called energy experts are only misleading innocent Nigerians. As a regulator, we are focused on ensuring compliance with petroleum industry standards and supporting local refineries,” Ukoha stated.
He reaffirmed that NMDPRA adheres to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) guidelines, which include parameters such as:
- Research Octane Number (RON)
- Sulphur content
- Density
- Colour and oxygenate level
The NMDPRA remains committed to ensuring that Nigerians have access to safe, high-quality petroleum products at transparent, competitive, and fair pricing.
With this new regulation, transporters and petroleum marketers must adjust their logistics and tanker capacities to comply with the 60,000-litre fuel tanker limit. This move is expected to:
- Reduce the risk of road accidents caused by overloaded tankers.
- Enhance compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- Improve fuel transportation efficiency across the country.
As the March 1, 2025 deadline approaches, industry stakeholders will be working closely with the NMDPRA and FRSC to ensure a smooth transition.
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