By Faridat Salifu
The federal government has enacted new regulations prohibiting trucks carrying over 60,000 litres of hydrocarbon products from loading at depots and utilizing federal roads, starting March 1, 2025.
Furthermore, by the fourth quarter of 2025, trucks exceeding 45,000 litres will also be banned from loading.
Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), announced these measures during a press briefing in Abuja.
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The decision follows extensive consultations with industry stakeholders due to a concerning rise in accidents and explosions linked to overloaded petroleum transport trucks.
Ukoha acknowledged that the ban could result in the abandonment of over 2,000 trucks, representing substantial financial losses for owners.
The phased implementation of these regulations is designed to give truck operators adequate time to adjust their operations, including redesigning vehicles to comply with the new capacity limits.
He noted that the increasing capacities of transport trucks have historically escalated safety risks.
The NMDPRA aims to strike a balance between regulatory enforcement and the financial implications for the industry, ensuring a collaborative approach that benefits all stakeholders involved.
