The aim of this study is to investigate the oil degrader fungi associated with degradation of spent engine oil contaminated soil in five selected mechanic workshops in Minna. Samples of the spent engine oil contaminated soils were collected from Shanchaga, Maikunkele, Shiroro, Tunga and Bosso mechanic workshops located in Minna Local Government Area. The fungi were isolated from the soils using dilution plate method in mineral salt medium. All the fungi were identified based on macroscopic and microscopic features of the fruiting bodies, spores and hyphal mass. A total of fifteen (15) fungal isolates belonging to eight genera were obtained from spent engine oil contaminated soil in all sampled locations. Fungal species isolated were Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Fusarium oxysporium, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium notatum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichoderma harzianum, Penicillium griseofulvum, Rhodotorula rubra, Cunninghamella echinulata, Trichoderma viride, Penicillium chrysogenum, Mucor hiemalis, Mucor racemosusand Mucor plumbeus. Tunga soil sample had the highest occurrence of fungal isolates, followed by Bosso and Chanchaga while soil samples from Maikunkele and Shiroro had the least occurrences of fungi isolates. Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus flavus were the prominent isolates from all the sampled locations while Penicillium chrysogenum, Mucor hiemalis, Cunninghamella echinulata, Mucor plumbeus and Rhodotorula rubra had the least number of occurrence from all locations. The presence of these three predominant fungal species in the spent engine oil contaminated soils samples collected from all the selected mechanic workshops within Minna metropolis is a strong indication that these fungi can be use to restoring oil contaminated environments through mycoremediation process.

Keywords: Abundance, Fungal isolates, Mycoremediation, Contaminant