Operators, regulators, others collaborate to address fuel tanker explosions, as another 33,000-litre fuel tanker crashes in Lagos

Collaboration between Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), regulators, operators, and enforcement agencies, has been stepped up to address truck-related accidents and fuel tanker explosions in the nation, the Vanguard reported. 

While disclosing this to the media, the Executive Secretary of MEMAN, Mr Clement Isong said that this initiative followed an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held in Lagos to address the alarming rise in truck accidents and explosions on Nigerian roads.

He noted that the session brought together key stakeholders, including the Executive Secretary of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), the President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and MEMAN’s Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Quality (HSSEQ) committee, representing operators.

Other stakeholders at the emergency meeting were the Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the South-West Regional Coordinator of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), representing regulators.

“This meeting is the first in a series of urgent actions aimed at addressing the recent spike in truck accidents and explosions. The analysis of several petroleum tanker-related crashes over the past four months revealed several root causes,” Isong said.

These according to him, included deplorable road infrastructure, inexperienced drivers in oversized trucks, and a lack of truck maintenance, among others. Issues included drivers’ mental alertness and attitudinal behavior. Some trucks were fully loaded up to 66,000 liters, far exceeding safe limits. Inadequate maintenance practices led to mechanical (brake) failures.”

He stated that the stakeholders proposed several measures for operators to implement, driven by the industry’s commitment to self-regulation, adding that THE measures included more stakeholder collaboration and increased engagement, especially with key stakeholders such as NMDPRA, NARTO, PTD, and FRSC.

According to him, training, truck maintenance, and fleet renewal were also considered key factors.