Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, requesting the annulment of import licenses secured by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC) and six other entities to import refined petroleum products into Nigeria.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, the plaintiff challenges the validity of these licenses, arguing that they were issued despite sufficient domestic production of petroleum products.
Other defendants in the suit include the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), AYM Shafa Limited, A.A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited.
The plaintiff is also seeking N100 billion in damages from the NMDPRA, alleging that the agency continues to issue import licenses for products like Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Jet Fuel, despite Dangote Refinery’s ability to meet national demand.
Dangote Refinery requests an injunction to prevent the NMDPRA from issuing or renewing import licenses to the other defendants and seeks a court order to seal off all facilities used by them for storing imported petroleum products.
Additionally, the plaintiff is asking for declarations that it is exempt from various taxes and levies under Nigerian law as a registered Free-Zone Enterprise. They assert that the NMDPRA’s actions violate the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Act, the Companies Income Tax Act, and other relevant regulations.
The suit includes demands for a mandatory injunction directing the immediate withdrawal of import licenses issued to the other defendants and for the NMDPRA to refrain from imposing additional levies on the plaintiff.
According to the plaintiff, the NMDPRA has breached the Petroleum Industry Act by granting import licenses that should only be issued during a shortfall of petroleum products in the country.