5 months after FG ban, another tanker explodes in Kaduna
Four people were injured on Monday in a tanker explosion along the Zaria–Kaduna Highway, five months after the federal government banned the movement of 60,000-litre fuel tankers on Nigerian roads. The crash occurred around 8.30am in Dan Magaji, a section notorious for heavy traffic and frequent accidents involving articulated vehicles. Unit Commander of the Federal […]
Scene of explosion as two tankers collide in Dan Magaji area, along Zaria-Kaduna Expressway, yesterday Photo: Aliyu Babankarfi
Four people were injured on Monday in a tanker explosion along the Zaria–Kaduna Highway, five months after the federal government banned the movement of 60,000-litre fuel tankers on Nigerian roads.
The crash occurred around 8.30am in Dan Magaji, a section notorious for heavy traffic and frequent accidents involving articulated vehicles.
Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Zaria, Nasir Falgore, said the accident involved an LPG tanker which rammed into the rear of an empty fuel tanker, triggering an explosion.
“When we arrived at the scene, only the two tankers were involved—no smaller vehicles. Three of the injured were occupants of the empty tanker, while the fourth was from the LPG truck,” he said.
He said all four victims were taken to a nearby hospital and that no deaths were recorded.
Emergency crews cordoned off the area, diverted traffic, and worked to contain the fire, while the FRSC launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
The Zaria–Kaduna Expressway remains a key petroleum transport route in northern Nigeria, and the incident has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of tanker safety regulations.
Previous tanker explosions
Monday’s crash on the Zaria–Kaduna highway is the latest in a grim series of tanker-related disasters across Nigeria.
Jan. 18, 2025 – A petroleum tanker carrying 60,000 litres of PMS exploded at Dikko Junction, along the Abuja–Kaduna Highway, killing 105 people and destroying property worth millions.
Jan. 20, 2025 – Another tanker exploded near Lapai, Niger State, after colliding with a stationary truck. No casualties were recorded.
Late Jan. 2025 – A separate tanker blast was reported in Kusogbogi, Niger State.
Feb. 2025 – A gas tanker exploded in Sabon-Wuse, Tafa LGA, Niger State, destroying property, including over 550 bags of beans and soybeans.
Mar. 4, 2025 – Seven people were killed in Karamin-Ramin, Mashegu LGA, Niger State. Later that month, explosions at AA Rano Filling Station in Kontagora and on the Badeggi–Agaie road caused property damage but no fatalities.
June 2025 – Two people were injured and six vehicles were burnt after a petrol tanker overturned along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
July 18, 2025 – A tanker exploded in Ibadan due to brake failure; no lives were lost.
Oct. 16, 2024 – Over 90 people were killed in Jigawa State after gathering to scoop fuel from an overturned tanker before it exploded.
Sep. 2024 – At least 48 people and 50 cows died in a tanker–truck collision on the Lapai–Agaie road in Niger State.
The repeated tragedies have fuelled calls for stricter safety standards, better driver training, and improved enforcement to reduce the risk posed by heavy fuel-laden vehicles on Nigerian highways.
FG’s ban on 60,000-litre tankers
In February 2025, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), announced a ban on 60,000-litre petroleum tankers from operating on Nigerian roads. The directive took effect on March 1, following a string of fatal tanker NMDPRA’s Authority Chief Executive, Ahmed Farouk, represented by Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, said the move was “in response to the incessant road accidents involving heavy-duty petroleum tankers.”
Ukoha, who announced the ban at a briefing in Abuja, said the announcement followed a meeting the authority held with stakeholders in the industry owing to the recurring accidents and explosions due to overloaded petroleum products trucks.
He said by Q4 2025, trucks carrying more than 45,000 litres will also be barred from loading petroleum products.
However, the President of the National Association of Road Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, opposing the potential ban, said such a move would lead to a potential loss of over N300bn investment. He said over 2,000 trucks will be abandoned, and an investment of over N150m for each truck will be lost.
Despite the ban, crashes involving high-capacity tankers persist.
We’re monitoring compliance – FRSC
Monday’s Zaria–Kaduna accident, according to Kaduna FRSC Sector Commander Tijjani Iliyasu, was caused by overspeeding.
“Yes, we are alert,” Iliyasu said on enforcement.
“Enforcement might not necessarily be on the road; it’s often done at the loading bay, where the content and vehicle safety are checked before clearance,” he added.
He urged drivers to obey speed limits and exercise caution in towns and on highways.
“The action of one driver can cause havoc for many others,” he said.