Court rejects NNPCL bid to stop Dangote Refinery case against fuel import licences

A Nigerian federal high court in Abuja has rejected a suit filed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, questioning the court’s jurisdiction to hear a case that was brought to it by Dangote Refinery on import licences.
Recall that in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, Dangote Refinery sought to nullify the licences the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, issued to enable the NNPCL and other marketers to import refined petroleum products into the country.
Other defendants in the matter are AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, as well as Matrix Petroleum Services Limited.
The plaintiff, Dangote Refinery, had insisted that it was wrong to issue licences for the importation of petroleum products such as automotive gas oil (AGO) and jet fuel (aviation turbine fuel) into Nigeria when there is no shortfall in its own local production.
Aside from praying the court to award N100 billion in damages against the NMDPRA for issuing import licences, the plaintiff applied for an order of injunction to restrain the 1st defendant (NMDPRA) from further issuing and/or renewing import licences to the 2nd to 7th defendants or other companies for the purpose of importing petroleum products.
However, NNPCL opposed Dangote Refinery’s suit and filed a preliminary objection.
NNPC’s preliminary objection is to challenge the competence of the suit by Dangote Refinery and the jurisdiction of the court to hear it.
However, on Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the objection for want of merit.
In a related ruling, the court dismissed an application the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, filed to be joined as a defendant in the suit.
The court held the dispute before it could be effectively determined without the FCCPC, which it said was not a relevant or necessary party.
Court rejects NNPCL bid to stop Dangote Refinery case against fuel import licences