Abuja, Nigeria — Dangote Petroleum Refinery has formally withdrawn its ₦100 billion lawsuit against the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), and five major oil marketers.
The notice of discontinuance, filed on Monday, July 29, was submitted by the refinery’s legal team led by Ogwu Onoja, SAN, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In the suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024) filed in September 2024, the company had accused NMDPRA of breaching the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by granting import licenses to selected marketers without first confirming local product shortfall, as required under Sections 317(8) and (9).
The Refinery also alleged regulatory failure, claiming NMDPRA’s actions discouraged domestic refining and endangered Nigeria’s energy security.
The seven defendants—NNPC Ltd, AYM Shafa Ltd, A.A. Rano Ltd, T. Time Petroleum Ltd, 2015 Petroleum Ltd, and Matrix Petroleum Services Ltd—rejected the claims in a joint affidavit filed in November 2024, defending the license process as lawful and necessary for market stability.
They further accused Dangote Refinery of seeking monopoly control despite not meeting Nigeria’s fuel consumption demands.
NMDPRA, through a counter-affidavit sworn by Idris Musa, insisted the licenses were vital to bridge ongoing supply gaps and ensure product availability nationwide.
The case also faced procedural issues, including a dispute over NNPC’s legal name, which was resolved by Justice Inyang Ekwo in March 2025, allowing the matter to proceed. A substantive hearing was scheduled for September 29, 2025, before Justice Mohammed Umar.
The Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, began diesel and aviation fuel production in January 2024, and petrol refining by September of the same year. Despite being hailed as a game-changer for Nigeria’s downstream oil sector, the company has grappled with crude supply challenges, pricing disputes, and competition concerns.
While the reasons for the withdrawal remain undisclosed, the action brings an end to one of the most high-profile legal disputes in Nigeria’s energy sector.
By Makinde oyinkansola| July 29, 2025
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