Dangote Refinery has formally withdrawn its ₦100 billion lawsuit against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and several other fuel importers.
The legal action, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, had challenged the NMDPRA’s continued issuance of fuel import licenses to NNPCL and five private companies—AYM Shafa Ltd, A.A. Rano Ltd, T. Time Petroleum Ltd, 2015 Petroleum Ltd, and Matrix Petroleum Services Ltd—despite the refinery’s full operational status.
Dangote Refinery had argued that the importation of refined petroleum products such as diesel and aviation fuel (Jet A1) was no longer necessary given Nigeria’s current refining capacity.
The company sought ₦100 billion (approximately $66 million) in damages, citing regulatory breaches that it said undermined its market position, Reuters reports.
Read Also: Kenya and Uganda Win $2 Billion Railway Dispute at London Arbitration Court
The defendants—NNPCL and the marketers—opposed the claims, urging the court to dismiss the suit.
They argued that restricting fuel imports could harm Nigeria’s energy sector and potentially lead to supply shortfalls. Represented by senior advocate Ahmed Raji (SAN), three of the marketers joined NNPCL in filing a counter-affidavit.
In March, the court allowed the case to proceed. However, in a surprising turn, Dangote Refinery has now decided to discontinue the matter.
A notice of discontinuance was filed on Monday, with the company’s legal counsel, Ogwu Onoja, stating, “The plaintiff herein discontinues this suit against the defendants forthwith.” No official reason was provided for the withdrawal.
Despite the development, the court is expected to reconvene on September 29 to determine any follow-up actions, including potential claims for legal costs by the defendants or a formal striking out of the case.
Image credit: NigerianEye
