The Federal Government has ordered that tankers would no longer be allowed to transport fuel at night, as a precautionary step towards stopping accidents and explosions that have claimed hundreds of lives in the recent past.
The order came via the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, dropped the news on Wednesday at a sensitisation programme for petroleum tanker drivers in Lagos.
The programme was organised in collaboration with Petroleum Tanker Drivers of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, the National Association of Road Transport Owners, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and other agencies.
Represented by the Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community at NMDPRA, Dr Mustapha Lamorde, Ahmed said that truck movement would henceforth move only between 6 am and 6 pm.
He said: “There should be no night driving. Truck movement should only be between 6 am and 6 pm. Anyone caught violating this rule will face sanctions.
Lamorde added that the ban on 60,000 trucks was being implemented, and no truck will load more than 45,000 litres by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025.
According to him, a technical working committee comprising 13 institutions had been formed to address the trend.
He said: “As part of its resolutions on February 19, the committee recommended the full enforcement of safe loading practices and a 10-page checklist covering truck roadworthiness, driver fitness, and safety equipment. On March 1, we began the implementation.
“This journey does not stop at 60,000 litres. By Q4 of 2025, no truck should load more than 45,000 litres. The lower the volume, the better the control and response in the event of an accident.”
NMDPRA also directed that petroleum tankers must be colour-coded and properly branded for easy identification and enforcement.
“We have also mandated the installation of anti-spill containment kits to reduce the risk of product loss and explosion during accidents,” he added.
Zonal Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers arm of NUPENG, Lagos Zone, Comrade Gbolahan, warned drivers against overloading and reckless driving.
He said, “The country no longer wants high-capacity loading. We, therefore, urge all our members to comply.”
