The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has officially withdrawn its appeal against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE in the ₦100 billion petrol import license dispute.

Court filings show that the regulator pulled out of the case at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on August 26, 2025. This came after Dangote Refinery itself discontinued its original lawsuit at the Federal High Court, where it had sought to challenge the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for issuing import licenses to independent marketers.

The appeal had also listed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Matrix Petroleum Services, A.A. Rano, and several other oil dealers as respondents. At the hearing, FCCPC’s lawyer, Olanrewaju Osinaike, told the appellate court that since the refinery had withdrawn its suit, there was no further basis to pursue the appeal. The respondents did not object, and the court dismissed the matter.

Legal analysts say the withdrawal removes a possible threat to fair competition in the downstream oil sector. Barrister Oladipupo Ige explained that if Dangote had won its earlier case, it could have given the refinery excessive control over fuel imports, limiting competition. “This outcome means the market remains open and competitive,” he said, describing the development as a win for consumers.

The case had sparked debate over regulatory powers. While FCCPC argued that it was empowered to intervene in competition-related disputes, the Federal High Court had earlier ruled that the matter was strictly governed by the Petroleum Industry Act, leaving the commission with no role in the case.

With both Dangote and FCCPC now stepping back, industry observers believe the decision will ease tensions between the refinery, regulators, and independent oil marketers, while reinforcing the government’s stance on protecting competition in Nigeria’s fuel market.