In Suleja, Niger State, Nigeria, a fuel tanker explosion resulted in 98 fatalities and at least 69 injuries. The incident took place during an early morning effort to transfer fuel on Saturday, January 18. This is one of several fatal events in the wake of increasing fuel prices in Nigeria.
The Federal Road Safety Corps sector commander in Niger State, Kumar Tsukwam, reported that following a tanker overturning, locals scrambled to collect the spilled fuel. The tanker subsequently caught fire, and the flames spread to another tanker nearby.
The number of casualties was exacerbated by a large crowd that had convened at the site, including individuals taking photos and bystanders.
Abdullahi Baba-Ara, the director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, disclosed that 80 victims were buried in a mass grave at a health facility in Dikko during the weekend.
After clearing the remains of the tanker, workers discovered additional bodies, increasing the fatality count to 98.
The explosion occurred when people were attempting to transfer fuel between trucks using a generator in the vicinity of Suleja. Fifteen shops were destroyed in the explosion, according to the National Emergency Management Authority.
Sector Commander Tsukwam stated, “Most of the victims were burnt beyond recognition. We are at the scene to clear things up.”
Niger Governor Mohammed Bago responded to the incident, stating that many lives were likely lost due to the extensive fire caused by the tanker explosion. He described the incident as “worrisome, heartbreaking, and unfortunate”.
Data shows a trend of similar incidents across Nigeria. From 2009 to 2025, the country experienced 172 oil tanker fires and explosions, causing 1,896 deaths. The year 2024 was particularly lethal, with a single explosion in Majia killing 266 people. Since the removal of the government’s fuel subsidy in May 2023, Nigeria has reported 28 oil tanker accidents, resulting in 468 deaths – over 15% of all accidents and nearly 25% of fatalities since 2009.
The abolition of long-standing fuel subsidies by President Bola Tinubu resulted in a 400% hike in fuel prices. This financial strain has led many Nigerians to risk their lives collecting spilled fuel from tanker accidents.
In October 2024, a comparable explosion in Jigawa State claimed at least 147 lives when people gathered around an overturned tanker. This incident, along with the collision between a fuel tanker and a cattle truck in Niger State in September 2024 that killed 59 people, underscores the ongoing safety issues.
The Federal Road Safety Corps reported 1,531 gasoline tanker crashes in 2020, resulting in 535 deaths and 1,142 injuries. The high rate of accidents is partly attributed to Nigeria’s inadequate railway system for cargo transport.
President Tinubu has directed a thorough review of gasoline transport protocols, to be undertaken in collaboration with state authorities. The government plans to enhance enforcement of existing road transport protocols, including regulations on night travel and official patrols.
In Nigeria, it is a common practice to collect gasoline from an overturned tanker, as many see it as an opportunity to obtain free fuel for personal use or resale.
Augustine Egbon, chairman of the Petrol Tanker Drivers Association, stated, “As a tanker driver, I understand how it is. The roads are in poor condition.” He further cautioned that people should avoid the scene of a tanker accident, explaining that it often takes two to three hours for a fire to start after a tanker overturns, with fires typically starting when individuals gather at the site.
