At least 29 people were killed and 42 injured when a tanker truck exploded following a traffic accident in Niger state in central Nigeria, according to emergency services.
Niger state has previously witnessed similar accidents on the road linking Bida and Ajayi.
A local emergency management coordinator stated that “a fuel tanker overturned and people gathered to collect the fuel, then the truck exploded and caught fire.”
Fuel tanker accidents are common in Nigeria where many roads lack proper maintenance, and residents often rush to collect spilled fuel from accidents that frequently result from speeding and traffic violations.
Fuel Subsidy Removal
In an attempt to revive the economy, the Nigerian president removed fuel subsidies and exchange rate controls upon taking office in May 2023.
However, these measures triggered a crisis, increasing living costs in Africa’s most populous country and forcing many to take significant risks to obtain fuel.
In March, 10 people were killed in a collision on a highway outside the capital Abuja after a fuel tanker caught fire.
In January, at least 98 people were killed in an explosion after they rushed to collect fuel from an overturned tanker in Niger state.
Following that incident, the president ordered the launch of a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of collecting fuel from overturned tankers.
