Nigerian Government to Ban Fuel Tankers Exceeding 60,000 Litres from March 1
The Nigerian government has announced that fuel tankers with a capacity exceeding 60,000 litres will be prohibited from operating on the country’s roads starting March 1, 2025.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) disclosed the development, stating that by the fourth quarter of 2025, tankers carrying more than 45,000 litres of petroleum products will also be restricted from loading.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, the agency’s Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, explained that the move aims to curb the rising number of road accidents involving fuel tankers.
According to Ukoha, a stakeholders’ technical committee convened to address the growing safety concerns, with key industry bodies—including the Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)—reaching a consensus on the enforcement timeline.
He emphasized that from March 1, any truck exceeding the approved axle load limit will not be allowed to load petroleum products at depots across the country.
Ukoha also dismissed recent claims about the quality of fuel in circulation, describing them as misleading and unscientific. He assured the public that all petroleum products, whether imported or locally refined, meet regulatory standards before being distributed.
