A catastrophic explosion of a fuel tanker in the Suleja region of Niger State, Nigeria, resulted in 98 fatalities and at least 69 injuries on Saturday, January 18. The incident happened during an early morning attempt to transfer fuel and is one of many tragic events in recent months due to Nigeria’s escalating fuel prices.
Federal Road Safety Corps sector commander in Niger State, Kumar Tsukwam, detailed how the catastrophe unfolded. After a tanker tipped over, locals rushed to collect the spilt fuel, shortly after which the tanker ignited. The flames rapidly spread to a second nearby tanker.
The casualty numbers were further increased due to a large crowd that had gathered, including both bystanders and those taking photographs.
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 health facility in Dikko during the weekend.
After clearing the tanker wreckage, rescuers discovered an additional 12 bodies, bringing the death toll to 98.
The blast happened when people were attempting to transfer gasoline from one truck to another using a generator near Suleja. The National Emergency Management Authority reported that the explosion destroyed 15 shops.
As Sector Commander Tsukwam stated, “Most of the victims were burnt beyond recognition. We are at the scene to clear things up.”
In a statement, Niger Governor Mohammed Bago acknowledged the devastating incident and expressed his belief that the massive fire from the tanker explosion claimed numerous lives. The governor described the incident as “worrisome, heartbreaking, and unfortunate”.
Statistical data shows a trend of such incidents in Nigeria. From 2009 to 2025, the country suffered 172 oil tanker fires and explosions, causing 1,896 deaths. The year 2024 was particularly deadly, with a single explosion in Majia causing 266 deaths. After the removal of the government’s fuel subsidy in May 2023, Nigeria has experienced 28 oil tanker accidents, resulting in 468 deaths.
The removal of long-standing fuel subsidies by President Bola Tinubu resulted in a 400% surge in fuel prices. This economic stress has prompted many Nigerians to risk their lives by gathering spilled fuel from tanker accidents.
In October 2024, an analogous explosion in Jigawa State killed at least 147 people as crowds assembled around an overturned tanker. This, coupled with a September 2024 collision between a fuel tanker and a cattle truck in Niger State causing 59 fatalities, underscores the ongoing safety issues.
As the Federal Road Safety Corps reported, there were 1,531 gasoline tanker accidents in 2020, resulting in 535 deaths and 1,142 injuries. Officials partly blame the high number of accidents on the country’s inadequate railway system for cargo transport.
President Tinubu has instructed a thorough review of gasoline transport protocols, in cooperation with state authorities. The government aims to enhance the enforcement of existing road transport protocols, including regulations on nighttime travel and official patrols.
In Nigeria, it is common for people to collect gasoline from an overturned tanker, seeing it as an opportunity to secure free fuel for personal use or for resale.
“As a tanker driver, I understand how it is. The roads are in poor condition,” remarked Augustine Egbon, chairman of the Petrol Tanker Drivers Association. He further cautioned that people should steer clear of the scene when a tanker has an accident. He explained that it typically takes two to three hours for a fire to start after a tanker overturns and such fires usually ignite when people gather at the site.
