Dangote Refinery Withdraws ₦100 Billion Import License Suit Against NNPCL, Others
Dangote Refinery has withdrawn its ₦100 billion lawsuit against NNPCL and other oil marketers.
The company had challenged import licenses, citing threats to Nigeria’s refining self-sufficiency goals.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE has officially withdrawn its ₦100 billion lawsuit against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and several other oil firms over disputed petroleum import licenses.
In a notice dated July 28, 2025, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the refinery’s legal counsel, George Ibrahim (SAN), confirmed the company’s decision to discontinue legal proceedings.
“Take notice that the Plaintiff (Dangote Refinery) herein discontinues this suit against the Defendants forthwith,” the court filing read.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024 initially sought to invalidate import licenses issued to multiple oil marketing companies by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). These companies included NNPCL, Matrix Petroleum Services, A.A. Rano Ltd, and four others.
Dangote Refinery had argued that the licenses issued violated Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and undermined its role as a significant domestic refiner. The company also claimed it could meet Nigeria’s daily fuel demand and insisted that allowing multiple players to import fuels would disrupt the local refining revival efforts.
Meanwhile, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) had sought to join the suit, warning that excluding other importers could result in an oil market monopoly. However, Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the FCCPC’s application in March 2025, calling the Commission a “meddlesome interloper” with no jurisdiction over licensing under the PIA.
Justice Mohammed Umar, now handling the matter, had previously set September 29 for a hearing before the plaintiff filed its notice of discontinuance. The court is expected to pronounce on the application during the next session formally.
Legal analysts say the discontinuance suggests a possible shift in strategy by the Dangote Group, either as part of a negotiated settlement or to refocus efforts on commercial rollout and stakeholder partnerships.
At the next hearing, the plaintiff’s legal team will be required to make an oral application for discontinuance under standard court procedure. The judge will then determine whether to strike out or dismiss the case entirely.
The development comes amid broader regulatory shifts in Nigeria’s downstream sector. In recent months, the federal government approved the direct purchase of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery, removing NNPCL as an intermediary.
The refinery has also received 4,000 new CNG trucks ahead of its fuel distribution rollout starting August 15, and Dangote has reportedly urged President Bola Tinubu to include refined fuels in the government’s ‘Nigeria First’ import ban policy.
The dropped lawsuit is expected to ease tensions between Dangote and the petroleum regulators, potentially smoothing operational relations ahead of the refinery’s full-scale market entry.
