Nigerian petroleum regulators have announced plans to review safety procedures following a devastating fuel tanker explosion that claimed 86 lives and injured 55 others at Dikko Junction in Niger State on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed visited the disaster site Sunday, where he pledged to strengthen safety measures and public awareness to prevent similar tragedies. The explosion occurred when residents gathered to collect fuel from an overturned tanker carrying approximately 60,000 litres of petrol.
“From what we learnt, there was an accident, followed by a spill, and people were scooping fuel. This led to the incident that caused the loss of many lives,” Dr. Mustapha Lamorde, Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Community at NMDPRA, who represented Ahmed during the site visit, said.
According to Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Niger State leader Kumar Tsukwam, the initial explosion took place around 9:00 a.m. along the major Abuja-Kaduna highway. The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) reported that the catastrophe was triggered when spilled gasoline made contact with a generator being used during the fuel transfer process, leading to a chain reaction that caused a second tanker to explode and destroyed 15 nearby shops.
The human toll has been severe. At the Musa Yar’Adua Memorial Hospital in Sabon-Wuse, Dr. Musa Lafaruma, Head of Hospital Services, confirmed that of 28 victims brought to their facility, only one survived. Many other victims were transferred to different hospitals by family members, while the FRSC reported that most of the recovered bodies were burnt beyond recognition.
A joint inspection team, including representatives from the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), accompanied NMDPRA officials during the site visit.
“We will work with the stakeholders to review our standard operating procedures. We should have a proper safety arrangement to prevent such accidents,” Lamorde stated, adding that they have requisite training within the sector that encourages safety awareness.
The regulatory authority has initiated an investigation into the incident and will develop new measures based on their findings to prevent future occurrences of such disasters.
Follow the AkweyaTV channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7m7dvJuyA7h5XMc22i
