Import Licence Dispute: Court Adjourns Dangote Refinery’s ₦100bn Suit Against NNPCL

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the ₦100 billion lawsuit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and others over an oil import licence dispute. The case was moved to November 5 for hearing.

The matter, initially scheduled for hearing on Wednesday, could not proceed due to the absence of Justice Mohammed Umar, who was reported to be sitting at the court’s Enugu division. The court subsequently rescheduled the hearing to November 5, noting that the judge had earlier directed all parties to regularise their court filings.

Dangote Refinery, represented by its counsel, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), is challenging the import licences issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to NNPCL and five oil companies. The refinery argues that the licences were issued in violation of Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and is seeking ₦100 billion in damages against NMDPRA.

In its preliminary objection, NNPCL maintained that the suit was “premature and incompetent,” contending that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter. A supporting affidavit by Isiaka Popoola claimed that a search on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) website showed “no entity named Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).”

NMDPRA, in its counter affidavit, urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that Dangote’s current production level “does not yet meet the national daily petroleum products sufficiency requirement.” It stated that the licences were granted “to bridge product shortfalls” to companies with proven international trading experience.

The marketers, including AYM Shafa, A. A. Rano, and Matrix Petroleum Services, also opposed the suit, warning that granting Dangote’s prayers “would have severe consequences for the nation’s oil sector.”

Justice Inyang Ekwo had earlier, on March 18, dismissed NNPCL’s preliminary objection before the case was reassigned to Justice Umar.