The Nigerian government and the National Association of Road Transport Owners are not on the same page over the proposal to ban petroleum trucks with 60,000-litre capacity from operating on federal highways.

On Wednesday, in a stakeholders meeting in Abuja, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority proposed a ban on trucks with 60,000-litre capacity to prevent incessant tanker explosion incidents, which had claimed 493 lives in the last three years.

Consequently, the Nigerian government wants tankers restricted to a maximum of 45,000 litres as part of a recommendation aimed at reducing fatalities from petroleum tanker accidents to zero.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, announced this proposal at the stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday.

According to Ahmed, the carnage from the petroleum truck explosion has been on the increase from seven recorded in 2022 to 24 deaths in 2023, while 341 died in 2024; the incident has already hit 121 in 2025, which is only two months from its beginning.

“This year to date, we have already recorded five road tanker accidents leading to 121 fatalities and 79 injuries. These incidents are unnecessary and unacceptable. They must be prevented and brought down to zero.

“Determination of an appropriate truck carrying capacity of (60,000 litres versus 45,000 litres) given the negative impact on the roads,” he said.

He also said downstream operators must adhere to safety guidelines to prevent incessant tanker explosions.

“It is therefore unacceptable for any operator to conduct business in contravention of established protocols and safety requirements,” he added.

Meanwhile, the President of the National Association of Road Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, said the move to ban petroleum trucks with 60,000 litres would lead to a potential loss of over N300 billion in investment.

“I want to remind everybody here that transporters are investors, and these investments are huge.

“Any truck that loads 60,000 litres must be a truck with a strong and sound engine at an average cost of N150m.

“By our estimation, we have 2,000 of them. We are talking about N300 billion investments, some of which were financed by banks and other lenders,” he declared.

Nigerian govt, drivers differ on petrol trucks ban, as tanker explosion claims 493 lives