By Osondu Ohaeri
In Nigeria’s road transport ecosystem, Tanker and Trailer operations remain one of the most critical yet high-risk segments. From devastating fuel explosions to multi-vehicle collisions, the consequences of articulated vehicle crashes have historically been severe, claiming lives, destroying property, and disrupting economic activity. Between 2020 and early 2025 alone, Tanker-related incidents accounted for at least 555 deaths nationwide, underscoring the urgency of sustained intervention.
Against this backdrop, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has intensified a multi-pronged strategy aimed at reducing crashes involving tankers and trailers, with measurable outcomes beginning to emerge.
Strengthening Regulatory Control: The Safe-to-Load Initiative
At the core of FRSC’s intervention is the Safe-to-Load Programme flagged of in 2015, a regulatory framework designed to ensure that only roadworthy Tankers and qualified drivers are allowed to transport petroleum products and other heavy cargo.
Under this system:
Vehicles undergo pre-loading inspection at Tank farms as only trucks that meet safety standards are cleared for operations.
Drivers must also possess valid licences and competence certification. The initiative directly addresses long-standing issues such as mechanical failure, overloading, and use of unqualified drivers factors historically linked to crashes. As at the end of last year, the Corps recorded a milestone achievement with a remarkable improved adherence to Class G drivers’ licence among Tanker drivers which rose from 58.2 percent in 2015 when the Safe-to-Load scheme was launched to 99.4 percent at the end of 2025.
Impressed with this development, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed stated that “the Safe-to-Load initiative was designed to ensure a safe motoring environment for Tankers conveying wet cargoes and recent outcomes reflect sustained regulatory enforcement and strong stakeholder collaboration”.
The Corps Marshal also stated that “the achievement underscores the Corps’ commitment to ensuring that only qualified and professionally certified drivers operate high-risk vehicles on Nigerian roads, improved licensing compliance has also directly contributed to enhanced safety outcomes, reduced operational risks, and increased professionalism within the petroleum haulage sector”.
Under the same initiative, FRSC has also recorded a remarkable 61.29 percent reduction in fatalities and a 15.53 percent downward slide in crash severity index in 2025, attributed to the effective implementation of the Safe-To-Load programme. Worthy of note is that this programme has transformed compliance levels across the Petroleum haulage sector with robust alliance with critical stakeholders
Enforcement of Safety Technologies and Standards
The Corps has scaled up enforcement of critical safety requirements for articulated vehicles includes installation of speed limiting devices, installation of the critical safety components such as the API standard leak proof system which provides comprehensive guidelines for the design, construction and maintenance of welded steel Tanks, ensuring they meet the highest safety performance criteria and the use of retro-reflective tapes for night visibility
Mandatory vehicle registration and documentation complianceFRSC also activated robust enforcement mechanism against overloading and defective tyres. These interventions are targeted at mitigating common crash triggers such as excessive speed, poor visibility, and brake failure.
Driver Training, Certification and Re-Orientation
Recognizing the human factor in crash causation, FRSC has prioritized capacity building for tanker and trailer drivers. This includes regular training and retraining programmes and collaboration with industry regulators to deepen safety education. Advocacy for mandatory certification schemes for haulage drivers and complementary efforts such as the Minimum Industry Safety Training for Downstream Operations (MISTDO) reinforce driver competence and safety awareness across the petroleum transport chain.
Data-Driven Enforcement and Crash Investigation
In partial fulfilment of its core mandates, FRSC has also institutionalized post-crash investigation mechanisms to analyse Tanker and Trailer incidents. Findings from these investigations inform policy adjustments, Enforcement focus areas and public safety advisories. This evidence-based approach ensures that interventions are not reactive but preventive and adaptive.
Robust Public Enlightenment Campaigns
Public behaviour has also been identified as a contributing factor, particularly the dangerous practice of fuel scooping during tanker crashes. In response, FRSC has intensified mass media campaigns warning against fuel scooping through television commercials, Radio jingles and talk shows. Community sensitization programmes and
stakeholder engagements with transport unions and oil marketers aim to reduce secondary casualties often associated with Tanker explosions, such as the tragic 2025 incident near Suleja that claimed over 100 lives.
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
FRSC’s strategy is anchored on collaboration with Petroleum regulatory agencies, transport unions (NARTO, NUPENG), security agencies and state traffic management bodies. This integrated approach ensures that safety compliance is enforced across the entire logistics value chain from loading points to highways. It also marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s road safety efforts and validates the Corps’ strategy of combining enforcement, education, and stakeholder engagement.
Challenges
Despite these outcomes, several structural and fundamental issues continue to pose some level of challenges in the Corps’ concerted efforts to curb the menace of Tanker-related crashes such as aging haulage fleet, driver fatigue due to long-distance haulage, limited rest areas for truck drivers, high dependence on road transport for petroleum distribution.
Noteworthy at this juncture is the FRSC’s evolving strategy which reflects a shift from routine enforcement to systemic risk management in the haulage sector. By integrating regulation, technology, training, and public education, the Corps is gradually reducing the frequency and severity of Tanker and Trailer crashes on Nigerian roads. Sustaining these gains will depend on continuous enforcement, infrastructure improvement, and deeper collaboration across stakeholders. Ultimately, safer Tanker and Trailer operations are not just a regulatory goal, they are a national imperative tied to public safety, economic stability, and the protection of lives.
—Osondu Ohaeri, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations is a Deputy Corps Commander and Corps Public Education Officer at the FRSC National Headquarters Abuja.
