The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) have intensified efforts to reduce petroleum tanker accidents through driver training, stricter safety compliance and improved operational standards across the fuel distribution chain.
The initiative featured at the second edition of the Technical Working Committee (TWC) Trucks-in-Transit Road Show held in Warri, Delta State, on Thursday, where tanker drivers and transport operators received training on defensive driving, fatigue management, hazard recognition, fire prevention, spill containment, tanker integrity and emergency response.
The NMDPRA South-South Regional Coordinator, Ibrahim Dimowo, said safe transportation of petroleum products was critical to Nigeria’s energy security and economic development. He urged operators to strengthen collaboration and ensure that safety procedures were observed throughout product haulage, noting that the programme was designed to build on the success of its maiden edition in Lagos.
NARTO National President, Yusuf Othman, represented by the association’s General Manager, Administration, Atiku Ahmed, described road safety as a shared responsibility involving drivers, transport owners, regulators and communities. He cited Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) statistics showing that Nigeria recorded 7,156 road crashes between January and September 2026, resulting in 3,445 deaths and 22,292 injuries. He also noted that tanker and trailer-related fatalities declined by 61.29 per cent in 2025.
Othman said NARTO was prioritising driver training, compliance with loading procedures, installation of speed-limiting devices, vehicle inspections and public enlightenment to improve safety in petroleum products transportation. He urged drivers to observe speed limits and take adequate rest, while advising motorists to keep a safe distance from crashed or leaking tankers.
In a presentation, the FRSC Assistant Corps Marshal, Operations, Omiko Godwin, attributed 90 per cent of tanker-related crashes to speeding and fatigue. He recommended that transport operators assign two drivers to each tanker to provide relief during long journeys. He also stressed the importance of pre-trip vehicle inspections, route planning and maintaining safe distances from other road users.
Similarly, the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, called for preventive measures to reduce tanker accidents at retail outlets. He identified continuous training, effective supervision, improved infrastructure, modern technology and disciplined operations as essential to safer petroleum handling and distribution.
The National Assistant Secretary of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers’ branch of NUPENG, Emmanuel Omokero, who spoke on behalf of participants, described the engagement as the first of its kind in Warri. He urged drivers to avoid night journeys and stop to rest whenever they experienced fatigue. The Delta Coordinator of NMDPRA, Godwin Ikomi, said the sensitisation programme would be sustained.
