Resumed Fuel Importation: Dangote Fights Back, Sues FG, Importers

Dangote Refinery is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to protect itself as it has dragged the Federal Government and some marketing companies to court over the machinery returned to motion for fuel importation.The company – Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE – has gone before the Federal High Court in Abuja for among others, an order voiding all licences recently issued for the importation of petroleum products into the country......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>

‘The Nation’ reports that Dangote Petroleum, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024 also wants the court to award damages at N100billion against the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for allegedly proceeding to issue import licenses to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Matrix Petroleum Services Limited (Matrix) and others for for the purpose of importing petroleum products such as Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Jet Fuel (aviation turbine fuel) into the country despite its production of AGO wnd Jet-A1 that exceeds the current daily consumption of petroleum products in Nigeria.

Listed, along with the NMDPRA, as defendants in the suit are: The NNPCL, A.Y.M. Shafa Holdings Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited.

In the suit filed for Dangote by a group of lawyers, led by Ogwu Onoja (SAN), the plaintiff is contending among others , that the licenses issued to NNPCL and others violated the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The plaintiff stated that it is greatly distressed, adding that its investments risk being jeopardised unless the court intervenes and declare that NMDPRA is in violation of its statutory responsibilities under the PIA for not encouraging local refineries, but issuing licenses for importation of petroleum products

Dangote, in a supporting affidavit, stated that such licenses should only be issued in circumstances where there is a petroleum product shortfall.