IPMAN tanker load limit takes effect October 1 to reduce road accidents, enforce safety, and stop overloading. Stakeholders support new nationwide transport rules

IPMAN tanker load limit will come into force nationwide on October 1, with the Western Zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) confirming that tankers will no longer be allowed to carry more than 45,000 liters of fuel.

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The zone’s chairman, Chief Oyewole Akanni, announced the new rule during an interview in Ibadan on Friday.

The decision, he said, was made after a joint meeting between IPMAN and major transport and regulatory bodies, including the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), NARTO, and NMDPRA.

“Before now, tankers carried up to 90,000 litres  that’s dangerous,” Akanni noted. “Such overloading damages our roads and makes trucks unstable, causing deadly crashes.”

The move is aimed at curbing frequent tanker-related accidents and addressing the devastating impact of overloading on Nigeria’s road infrastructure.

Akanni also revealed that the government has mandated the installation of safety covers on all fuel tankers to prevent spillage during accidents.

However, he lamented that fuel vandals often puncture fallen trucks, worsening the damage and creating fire risks.

Another key reform includes banning night-time driving by fuel tankers. Drivers have been instructed to park by 7:00 p.m. and resume their journeys at 7:00 a.m., addressing fatigue-related crashes. Despite the rule, some drivers reportedly still disobey the directive.

“The federal government must step in further,” Akanni urged, calling for stricter regulations, widespread driver education, and enforcement of safety reforms.

He said the recurring disasters result from “systemic failures  overloading, poor roads, weak enforcement, and public practices like fuel scooping.”

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He concluded that IPMAN would keep working closely with stakeholders to ensure safer roads and fewer tanker disasters across Nigeria.