Dangote Petroleum Refinery has filed a fresh suit against the Federal Government, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited over the issuance of new petrol import licences to oil marketers.
According to Reuters, the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery approached the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking an order to nullify import permits recently issued or renewed by the NMDPRA.
The legal action comes amid renewed controversy over the continued approval of fuel import licences despite claims that local refining capacity has significantly improved following the commencement of operations at the Dangote refinery.
Industry stakeholders had earlier criticised the decision to grant fresh import approvals to six petroleum marketers, arguing that the refinery already supplies a substantial portion of the country’s petrol demand.
Data released by the NMDPRA showed that the Dangote refinery accounted for 79 per cent of Nigeria’s petrol supply in April 2026.
Despite this, the regulator proceeded with fresh approvals for importation, a move that has now triggered another legal confrontation between the refinery and the authorities.
In the court filing, Dangote Refinery reportedly argued that the import licences issued in May undermine its operations and violate existing laws regulating petroleum imports.
The company maintained that fuel importation should only be permitted when domestic production is insufficient to meet local demand.
The refinery also accused the government of reversing its “Nigeria-first” policy direction by allowing continued importation despite growing domestic refining capacity.
The latest suit marks a return to legal hostilities after Dangote Refinery withdrew an earlier case against fuel importers in 2025 following Federal Government intervention.
The dispute also comes amid increasing competition in petrol pricing across the downstream sector.
While some importers reportedly sell petrol between N1,285 and N1,295 per litre, Dangote Refinery currently sells the product at about N1,200 per litre.
