Dangote Refinery Appeals Federal High Court Ruling on Petroleum Import Licences
Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking permission to challenge a Federal High Court judgment directing the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to continue issuing petroleum product import licences to three major oil marketers.
The refinery filed a motion on notice on October 6, 2026, asking the appellate court for leave to appeal against the September 28 judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The judgment concerned a suit instituted by Matrix Energy, AA Rano and AYM Shafa against the petroleum regulator.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that the NMDPRA’s refusal to issue import licences to the three companies was inconsistent with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. The judge maintained that the law does not prohibit the importation of petroleum products or prevent the regulator from granting or renewing licences for eligible importers.
The court consequently ruled that the regulator’s actions were in direct non-compliance with the applicable law and held that the claimants had successfully established their case.
Dangote Refinery is now seeking to overturn that decision, adding another dimension to its ongoing dispute over the continued importation of petrol into Nigeria. The company has argued in separate legal proceedings that fuel import licences should be issued only when domestic refining capacity cannot meet local demand.
The latest move comes amid changing dynamics in Nigeria’s petroleum market. Figures previously reported by the NMDPRA indicated that petrol imports fell sharply in the first quarter of 2026, while supplies from domestic refineries rose to approximately 3.18 billion litres.
The refinery’s latest application also follows an earlier legal battle in which it challenged import licences granted to several petroleum marketers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. That suit was withdrawn in July 2025.
Meanwhile, a separate ₦100 billion suit filed by Dangote Refinery against the Attorney General of the Federation over fuel import licences remains pending before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The outcome of the latest proceedings could have implications for the interpretation of the Petroleum Industry Act, the regulator’s authority to issue import licences and the balance between domestic refining and imported petroleum products in Nigeria’s evolving energy market.
