The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday dismissed a ₦100 billion lawsuit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which had sought to challenge the federal government’s decision to issue licences for the importation of petroleum products into Nigeria.
Africa’s largest refinery had initially filed the suit to challenge the issuance of fuel import licenses by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to NNPC Ltd and five other companies: AYM Shafa Ltd, A.A. Rano Ltd, T. Time Petroleum Ltd, 2015 Petroleum Ltd, and Matrix Petroleum Services Ltd.
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The refinery had asked the court to invalidate the import licences granted to both the NNPCL and the private companies, arguing that they contravened the law.
Marketers push back
NNPC Ltd opposed the suit through a legal filing, urging the court to dismiss the case. In addition, three of the oil marketers, AYM Shafa Limited, A.A. Rano Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, represented by senior advocate Ahmed Raji (SAN), also urged the court to dismiss the suit.
In their joint counter-affidavit, the marketers argued that granting Dangote Refinery’s application would be detrimental to Nigeria’s oil sector.
Despite these objections, the court had earlier ruled in March 2025 that the suit could proceed.
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However, Dangote Refinery’s lawyer, C.O. Adegbe, formally applied to withdraw the case in court this week, marking the end of the high-profile legal dispute.
The move comes roughly two weeks after President Bola Tinubu approved a 15 per cent import duty on petrol and diesel. This development may have influenced the refinery’s decision to drop the case.
Its implementation is expected to begin in about a month. The measure, which provides a 30-day transition window, adds a new layer to the ongoing debate over petrol imports and local refining in Africa’s largest oil producer.
Meanwhile, the Dangote Refinery, Nigeria’s largest, said it now produces more gasoline and diesel than the country can consume, while expressing support for the government’s plan to impose a 15% import duty on refined petroleum products.
