An explosion tore through crowds of people who had rushed to collect fuel spilling from a crashed tanker in northern Nigeria, killing at least 147, officials told AFP on Wednesday.

The tragedy is the latest such accident at a time when petrol has become a precious commodity in the country, which is suffering its worst economic crisis in a generation.

The fuel tanker veered to avoid another vehicle and crashed in the town of Majiya, Jigawa state late on Tuesday, police said.