PETROLEUM PRODUCTS DELIVERY;HOW TO REDUCE ROAD ACCIDENT AND CONGESTION ON NIGERIAN ROADS

In the last two decades, petroleum industry has become of strategic importance in the Nigerian economy, accounting for as high as 78 percent of Gross Domestic Product and up to 90 percent of the country’s total annual ...
revenue and foreign exchange earnings (National Bureau of Statistics, 2008). Movement of products from depots to service stations numbering several thousand- where they are retailed to the final consumers all over the country involves the use of road as the mode of transportation and the products are moved by large trucks.

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In Nigeria, about 80% of petroleum movements are done on the road and there have being a steady growth in number of road tanker vehicles. There is an estimate of 5,000 tankers involved in wet cargo haulage, moving about 150 million litres of fuel and 2,500 trailers in dry cargoes plying Nigeria roads daily. However, bad roads, poor road networks had resulted to traffic congestion, road accidents and other vices.

The tragedy witnessed by Nigerians due to petroleum tankers accidents are numerous, it ranges from explosion of petroleum products due to excess heat (for example incident in kano and kaduna) to accidents due to mechanical faults on trucks (the onitsha and iyana-paja incidents) we cannot overemphasis factors such as the lackadaisical attitude of drivers and bad roads nation-wide. 

According to the department of petroleum resources, the petroleum regulatory agency of Nigeria (https://dpr.gov.ng/index/ 2014) there are 79 depots and storage tank farms by independent marketers, 22 by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), 23 by the Major Marketers. That makes a total of 124 depots/ Storage tank farms. The amazing discovery majority  of all this storage tank farms/depots is located in Lagos State. However, out of the total 57 depots in Lagos, Apapa port accounts for 42 of the depots. This is a huge problem and that is the major reason why  a lot of traffic exists on the road and a lot of pressure being felt by road users in Lagos state. Lagos state government losses N42 billion yearly due to chaotic traffic situation according to Governor Akinwumi Ambode (The Nation newspaper 5th April,2016)

Below are my recommendations.

1.   There is need to use ICT at the terminals to coordinate trucks loading at the depots most especially Apapa depot. It will help to coordinate the loading of products, it will help trucks more organized and it will reduce the pressure on the Apapa road and by extension roads in Lagos state.

2. There is need to create a very big parking lots and space along Lagos/Ibadan express road (because land is readily available in that area), the government or private sector can invest in building a very big “truck arena” or spot where truck drivers can park their trucks, sleep and relax their body. These parks will help to reduce presence of heavy duty trucks on the roads and at the same time reduce the pressure on major roads. The initiative should consider using the Private Public Partnership approach to achieve it so that it can serve as a medium of revenue generation by the government and also create employment for cleaners, security personnel, food vendors. 

3. The use of night loading mechanism between 12pm-4am to retail outlets will be very key to reducing the pressure on the major roads during the day at the same time reduce rate of accidents and fire incidents (due to excess heat). Once each truck loads, the once meant to supply within the city of Lagos can go ahead to supply their products during the night (and priority must be given to those trucks first) then those travelling outside Lagos can load and park at any of the “parking arenas” along Lagos/Ibadan express way before proceeding with their journey during the night.

   4. The use of multi-storage loading pumps and flow meters must be utilized for loading operation so has to reduce time of loading. This will help to load more trucks and at the same time help the trucks deliver their product much quicker and in time.  

   

   5. Communication and integration of depots must be encouraged, coordinated and effectively managed so  as to reduce sudden truck congestion in a particular depot and at the same time can bring about out-sourcing of loading.  

    

     I am of the opinion that if all these recommendation are put in place it will reduce the rate of accidents caused by petroleum tanker drivers, reduce the pressure on roads during the day and at the same time ensures a seamless delivery of petroleum products to retail outlets across Nigeria.