Lagos bans use of petroleum tankers for edible oil transportation

The Lagos State Government has banned the use of petroleum tankers for transporting edible oil as part of efforts to improve food safety and hygiene standards across the state.

The directive is contained in a new regulatory framework introduced through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency and key stakeholders in the edible oil transportation sector.

Parties to the agreement include the Marketers and Sellers of Edible Oil Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, and the Association of Edible Oil Tanker Drivers of Nigeria under the National Union of Edible Oil Tanker Drivers of Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency said the decision was aimed at ending the use of tankers previously deployed for petroleum products and other hazardous substances in transporting edible oil.

The agency warned that the practice poses serious health risks to consumers due to possible contamination from chemical residues left in fuel tankers.

According to the statement, only food-grade certified tankers will now be allowed for the transportation and distribution of edible oil in Lagos.

“The key objectives of the agreement include ensuring that tankers designated for edible oil transportation are used exclusively for that purpose and preventing the use of edible oil tankers for petroleum products and hazardous substances,” the statement read.

The agency said the new framework would strengthen hygiene standards, improve traceability, and enhance monitoring within the edible oil supply chain.

It added that stakeholders had agreed to implement tanker registration and identification systems, periodic inspections, random spot checks, laboratory testing of edible oil samples, and joint enforcement operations.

LASCOPA noted that enforcement would be intensified under the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law, 2025, to ensure compliance with the new standards.

The agency also said it would increase monitoring activities and investigate consumer complaints as part of efforts to safeguard public health and boost consumer confidence in food transportation practices across the state.