Dangote Refinery withdraws N100bn lawsuit against NMDPRA, NNPC, and five marketers

|By Adejumo Adekunle

Refinery ends legal battle over import licences
Petroleum importation drops as Dangote products hit the market

Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has officially withdrawn its lawsuit against the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), and five major petroleum marketing firms.

The case, filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024 at the Federal High Court in Abuja since September 6, 2024, was discontinued on Monday, July 28, following a notice of discontinuance submitted by the refinery’s legal counsel.

According to court documents signed by Ogwu Onoja (SAN), the refinery dropped all legal claims against the defendants—AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited.

“Take notice that the plaintiff herein discontinues this suit against the defendants forthwith,” the court notice read.

The refinery had earlier sought ₦100 billion in damages, accusing the NMDPRA and the other parties of breaching the Petroleum Industry Act by approving import licences for the listed companies. The suit specifically cited alleged violations of Sections 317(8) and 317(9) of the Act.

At the heart of the legal battle was Dangote’s claim that the regulatory agency undermined the new domestic refining regime by permitting fuel imports, despite the refinery’s capability to meet local demand.

The lawsuit’s withdrawal comes amid a steady decline in petrol imports, following the refinery’s commencement of domestic fuel supply in September 2024. The development signals a growing shift in Nigeria’s petroleum industry, with Dangote’s entry into the downstream sector beginning to reshape the market landscape.

Industry observers see the decision to pull back the suit as a strategic move that could help de-escalate regulatory tension and pave the way for policy alignment and collaboration between private refiners and government institutions.