The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the hearing of a ₦100 billion lawsuit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and others until November 5.
The case, which challenges the legality of fuel import licences issued to several companies, was slated for hearing on Wednesday but could not proceed because the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, was unavailable. He was reported to be sitting at the court’s Enugu division.
Justice Umar had earlier instructed all parties involved to tidy up their court documents and ensure proper service of notices before the next sitting. The case is being heard afresh after being reassigned from Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Dangote Refinery is accusing the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and NNPCL of breaching the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by granting fuel import licences to six companies — AYM Shafa Limited, A.A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited.
According to the refinery, such licences should only be issued when local refineries are unable to meet national demand. It is therefore asking the court to cancel the licences and award ₦100 billion in damages against NMDPRA.
The NNPCL and NMDPRA, however, urged the court to dismiss the case. NNPCL argued that the suit is premature and that Dangote sued the wrong entity, saying there is no company legally registered as “Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited.”
NMDPRA, on its part, said Dangote Refinery has not yet reached full production capacity to meet the country’s fuel demand, and that import permits were issued to ensure adequate supply and fair competition in the oil market.
The oil marketers involved in the case also opposed Dangote’s claims, saying the refinery’s request would create monopoly and destabilise the petroleum sector.
The case, which began in 2024, has witnessed several legal exchanges. Justice Ekwo, who first handled it, previously dismissed NNPCL’s objection and allowed Dangote to correct the company’s name in the suit.
The court is now expected to continue hearing the matter on November 5.
