The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the suit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE against the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and six others. Justice Inyang Ekwo set January 30 as the new hearing date after the plaintiff’s counsel, George Ibrahim (SAN), sought permission to amend the originating summons.
Dangote Refinery’s legal action, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, challenges the issuance of oil import licenses to select oil marketers. The suit names NMDPRA, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), and five oil companies-AYM Shafa Limited, A.A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited as defendants. Dangote Refinery claims that issuing such licenses breaches Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and seeks N100 billion in damages.
The plaintiff argues that the NMDPRA is obligated to prioritize local refineries under the PIA and alleges that the issuance of import licenses is unnecessary without a proven shortfall in domestic supply. In response, some oil marketers, including AYM Shafa and A.A. Rano, filed counter-affidavits, arguing that Dangote Refinery’s production cannot meet Nigeria’s daily demand. They warned that granting the refinery monopoly would harm competition, increase prices, and destabilize the economy.
The marketers further emphasized that their import licenses were legally issued under the PIA and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act. They cautioned against relying solely on Dangote Refinery for supply, as disruptions at the facility could lead to shortages and price hikes.
At Monday’s hearing, the plaintiff’s counsel acknowledged errors in the initial summons and requested ten days to properly serve the amended documents to all defendants. Counsel for the NNPCL and other parties confirmed they had not yet received the revised summons and urged the court to ensure proper filing and service before proceedings continue.
