About 3,445 people lost their lives in fuel tanker crashes and fires in Nigeria, leaving behind grieving families and shattered communities.
Investigations also show that dozens of citizens sustained serious injuries in crashes involving tankers and other articulated vehicles during the period
Properties estimated at millions have also been lost to tanker fires with the victims rarely getting compensation. ...CONTINUE READING
As reported by Vanguard newspaper on Sunday, February 2, roads in Nigerian states have become a killing field, with staggering death figures recorded over the past 15 years.
The report said between January 2010 to January 2025, 2,500 tanker crashes and about 3,445 fatalities happened.
The most recent major tragedies occurred on Saturday, January 18, 2025, when a fuel tanker exploded near Dikko Junction in Suleja, Niger state, killing at least 98 people, and on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Ugwu Onyeama in Enugu state in which over 20 people were burnt alive.
Such accidents have become common in Africa’s largest oil producer, killing dozens of people in the country grappling with its worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
These latest incidents underscore the alarming death toll associated with tanker accidents in the country. The incessant petrol tanker crashes have been attributed to several factors.
Top on the list are deplorable roads, scooping of fuel from fallen tankers, inadequate driver’s training/certification and retraining, recklessness of drivers, non-adherence to road traffic safety practices, non-adherence to safe laden/haulage practices /standards; and ageing trucks and lack of fleet renewal programmes, among others.
Commenting on the issue, Timothy Iwuagwu, the president of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, said that many tankers are not designed according to international best practices to avoid spillage during accidents.
The safety expert said: “There are also not enough awareness campaigns, (and) people are not willfully compliant with safety measures when such accidents happen.”
Tanker accidents: What Nigerian authorities are doing
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said it has established commands at tank farms to inspect tankers before they are allowed to load and transport petroleum products.
Additionally, the commission disclosed that it has implemented special interventionist operations and mobile court sessions to deter dangerous practices like fuel scooping.
Other stakeholders, including the Nigeria Union Of Petroleum And Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), emphasised safety training for drivers, which includes collaborative workshops with traffic agencies, emergency services, and mental health professionals.
