A petrol tanker carrying 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) exploded on Thursday evening at Celica Junction along the new Ife Expressway in Ibadan, Oyo State, causing panic among residents and motorists. Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred after the tanker suffered a brake failure, forcing the driver to lose control before the vehicle overturned and caught fire. The tanker reportedly collided with a Prado SUV and another car before the explosion. “The tanker hit a Prado jeep and another car, and in the process, it fell and exploded. Although no casualty was recorded, the fire affected the car and the Prado jeep,” an eyewitness said. Confirming the incident, the Oyo State Fire Service Chairman, Maroof Akinwande, said the fire was contained before it could spread to nearby facilities, including a NNPC filling station. “The firemen swiftly swung into action by applying chemical foam compound and restricted the fire from spreading to the nearby Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation petrol station and surrounding properties. The fire was jointly extinguished with officers from the Federal Fire Service,” Akinwande stated. He added that no casualties were recorded, though the tanker and one car were completely burnt, while the Prado SUV was pushed into a gutter by the impact. The accident was attributed to a braking system failure while the truck was in motion. Read Full Details Here

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to ending Nigeria’s heavy dependence on fish imports by aggressively increasing local production, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola has said. Speaking at a consultative meeting with fisheries cooperative groups in Abuja, Oyetola revealed that Nigeria currently spends about $1.2 billion annually on fish imports, which accounts for nearly 45 percent of the country’s total fish consumption. Nigeria’s annual fish demand is estimated at 3.6 million metric tons, but local production meets only one-third of this figure, leaving a huge gap filled by imports. According to the minister, the government is implementing a strategic roadmap aimed at transforming the aquaculture sector into a driver of food security, job creation, and export competitiveness. He added that the administration is committed to providing policy support, technical assistance, and access to finance, particularly for women and youth in the industry. The ministry is also working on start-up grants and empowerment initiatives for small-scale fish farmers, while encouraging partnerships to improve cold-chain infrastructure and reduce post-harvest losses. However, participants at the meeting highlighted persistent challenges facing the industry, including overfishing, environmental degradation, high feed costs, lack of affordable financing, poor cold storage facilities, multiple taxation, and low youth involvement. Stakeholders at the session included the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, Tilapia Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria, Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria, Women in Fish Farming and Aquaculture, and the Practicing Farmers Association of Nigeria.