The death toll from a tanker truck explosion on Tuesday following an accident on a highway in Niger State, central Nigeria, has risen to 39, with 60 injured, emergency services said Wednesday.

Accidents involving tanker trucks are common in Nigeria, where the often poor road conditions and the dangerous practice of siphoning off fuel after such incidents contribute to the severity of the tragedies.

"There are now 39 dead and 60 injured. We are still investigating. The road conditions were poor," Isha Hussaini, one of the coordinators of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), told AFP.

A previous emergency report released on Tuesday indicated 29 dead and 42 injured.

"A truck carrying fuel overturned, and these people went to collect fuel. The truck exploded and they caught fire," Ibrahim Hussaini, an official with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), told AFP.

The accident occurred around 11 a.m., between the communities of Essan and Badeggi, on the road linking the town of Bida to that of Agaie, in the administrative area of Katcha, the same source said.

Economic hardship pushes some residents to risk their lives to recover fuel during such accidents in Nigeria.

Since taking office in May 2023, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has abolished fuel subsidies and foreign exchange controls upon taking office in Africa's most populous country in May 2023.

These reforms have caused a severe cost of living crisis, the worst Nigeria has experienced in decades.

Inflation in the West African giant has slowed for five consecutive months this year (from April to August), but remains high at 20.1% in August, compared to the same period in 2024, according to the latest available figures from the central bank of this West African state.

Last March, a pile-up involving a tanker truck that caught fire left 10 people dead on a highway outside Abuja, the federal capital.

In January, at least 98 people died after gathering to collect fuel following a tanker explosion in Niger state.