Effective March 1, 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria will prohibit petrol tankers with capacities over 60,000 liters from operating on Nigerian roads.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) rule further stipulates that by the fourth quarter of 2025, no truck with a capacity greater than 45,000 litres will be allowed to load petroleum products.
Speaking to press in Abuja on Wednesday, Ogbugo Ukoha, NMDPRA’s Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, stated that the decision was made in reaction to the increasing number of traffic accidents involving heavy-duty petroleum tankers.
He said:
“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.”
Following discussions with key stakeholders—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 Organization of Nigeria (SON), and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), it was agreed that:
Trucks with axle loads greater than 60,000 liters will be unable to load at any depot beginning March 1, 2025.
By Q4 2025, only fuel tankers with a maximum capacity of 45,000 liters will be allowed to transport petroleum products.