Dangote Refinery in Court Seeking Annulment of Import Licences to NNPCL, Others
Dangote Refinery has filed a legal case at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the import licences granted to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, A. A. Rano, and others. The refinery is seeking the annulment of these licences, claiming that they were issued despite its capacity to meet Nigeria’s petroleum product demands.
In its petition, Dangote Refinery argues that the NNPCL and the other companies obtained import licences for petroleum products, including automotive gas oil (AGO) and jet fuel (Jet-A1), even though the refinery’s production exceeds the country’s daily consumption needs. The case, filed under the reference number FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, also includes a demand for ₦100 billion in damages from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
According to the refinery’s legal counsel, Ogwu James Onoja, SAN, the NMDPRA has been improperly issuing import licences to these companies, which contradicts Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The refinery insists that licences for importing petroleum products should only be granted in cases of a national shortage, which it claims is not currently the case.
The defendants named in the lawsuit include NMDPRA, NNPCL, Aym Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited. Dangote Refinery argues that the NMDPRA’s actions have hindered its operations, despite the significant financial investments made to boost local production.
Additionally, the refinery is challenging the imposition of a 0.5% levy on wholesalers and off-takers, as well as a separate 0.5% levy directed towards the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF), which it claims contradicts existing statutory regulations.
