An early morning fuel transfer effort led to a fuel tanker explosion in the Suleja area of Niger State, Nigeria, resulting in 98 deaths and injuring at least 69 people on Saturday, January 18, 2025. This incident is among several fatal occurrences in the past few months linked to Nigeria’s escalating fuel prices.
According to Kumar Tsukwam, a sector commander for the Federal Road Safety Corps in Niger State, the explosion happened after a tanker tipped over and people rushed to collect the spilled fuel. He mentioned that the tanker ignited a fire, spreading to another nearby tanker.
The large crowd that had assembled at the site, including bystanders and individuals taking photographs of the incident, further increased the casualty count.
Abdullahi Baba-Ara, the director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, disclosed that 80 of the victims were buried in a mass grave at a Dikko health facility during the weekend. He added that several other bodies were discovered after the debris from the tanker was cleared, bringing the total death toll to 98.
The explosion reportedly happened when people were trying to transfer fuel between trucks with a generator near Suleja. The National Emergency Management Authority stated that 15 shops were destroyed in the blast.
Sector Commander Tsukwam remarked, “Most of the victims were burnt beyond recognition. We are at the scene to clear things up.”
Niger Governor Mohammed Bago confirmed the incident, stating that the massive fire caused by the tanker explosion likely claimed numerous lives. He labeled the incident as “worrisome, heartbreaking, and unfortunate.”
Data indicates a pattern of similar incidents occurring across Nigeria. From 2009 to 2025, Nigeria recorded 172 oil tanker fires and explosions, which resulted in 1,896 deaths. The year 2024 was particularly lethal, with 266 deaths from a single blast in Majia. After the government removed the fuel subsidy in May 2023, Nigeria reported 28 oil tanker accidents, leading to 468 deaths – representing over 15% of all accidents and nearly 25% of fatalities since 2009.
President Bola Tinubu’s decision to eliminate the long-standing fuel subsidies has led to a 400% surge in fuel prices. This economic strain has led many Nigerians to risk their lives by gathering spilled fuel from tanker accidents.
In October 2024, an explosion similar to this one in Jigawa State resulted in at least 147 deaths when crowds gathered around an overturned tanker. This incident, coupled with the September 2024 collision between a fuel tanker and a cattle truck in Niger State that claimed 59 lives, underscores the persistent safety concerns.
In 2020, the Federal Road Safety Corps reported 1,531 gasoline tanker crashes, 535 deaths, and 1,142 injuries. Officials partly attribute the high accident rate to Nigeria’s inadequate railway system for cargo transport.
President Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive review of gasoline transport protocols, which will be conducted in collaboration with state authorities. The government aims to enhance enforcement of existing road transport protocols, including regulations on night travel and official patrols.
Collecting gasoline from an overturned tanker is a common practice in Nigeria, as many view it as an opportunity to acquire free fuel for personal use or resale.
Augustine Egbon, chairman of the Petrol Tanker Drivers Association, highlighted the dangers of tanker accidents, stating, “As a tanker driver, I understand how it is. The roads are in poor condition.” He urged the public to keep their distance from accident sites, explaining that fires often ignite two to three hours after a tanker overturns, usually when crowds gather.