Dangote refinery takes federal government to court over fresh fuel import licenses

.…Challenge NMDPRA Approval of Import Permits to Marketers, NNPCL

Dangote Oil Refinery has launched a fresh legal action against the Federal Government at the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking to invalidate new petrol import licenses granted to oil traders and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

In the lawsuit, the refiner asks the court to cancel import permits issued or renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, arguing that the approvals undermine domestic refining capacity and violate existing regulatory provisions governing the importation of fuel.

The development comes amid renewed controversy over Nigeria’s fuel import policy, despite repeated claims by regulators that local refining increasingly meets domestic demand. Industry data attributed to the NMDPRA indicates that the Dangote refinery accounted for approximately 79% of Nigeria’s oil supply as of April 2026.

However, the refiner is contesting the government’s continued granting of import licenses to marketers and NNPCL, insisting that such decisions contradict its stated push for a “Nigeria-first” energy policy and threaten investment in local refining.

According to documents reported by Reuters, the Dangote refinery has argued that import permits should only be issued when domestic supply is insufficient, adding that the current approvals for May amount to a policy reversal that could destabilize the downstream oil sector.

The company also argued that allowing sustained imports despite increasing local production capacity would erode domestic refining gains and expose the market to unnecessary price distortions.

Recall that the refinery had previously withdrawn a similar lawsuit in 2025 following the intervention of the government and insurance companies aimed at resolving disputes in the framework of downstream oil.

The latest legal action signals a renewed escalation of tensions between Africa’s largest refiner and regulators over market control, pricing and supply strategy.

Currently, petrol imported by marketers is sold between N1,285 and N1,295 per litre, while the Dangote refinery is distributed at around N1,200 per litre, intensifying competition in the downstream market.

The case is expected to test the legal limits of Nigeria’s import licensing regime, as well as the government’s balancing act between supporting domestic refining and securing fuel supply.

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