A Nigerian court has rescheduled hearing to 5 November in a ₦100 billion lawsuit filed by Dangote Refinery against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and regulatory authorities, following the judge’s absence at Wednesday’s sitting.
The case centres on an alleged import licence dispute, with Dangote Refinery accusing the NNPCL and other agencies of unfair market practices and regulatory bias that reportedly obstructed the refinery’s ability to distribute its locally refined petroleum products.
In its suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the refinery seeks judicial intervention to stop what it calls anti-competitive conduct by state entities and to recover ₦100 billion in damages for financial losses and operational setbacks.
The respondents, including the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), are yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
The Dangote Refinery, valued at $20 billion, is designed to produce 650,000 barrels of refined products per day and is seen as pivotal to ending Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel. However, the dispute with the NNPCL has raised concerns about regulatory transparency and market access for local producers.
The case is expected to test Nigeria’s commitment to market liberalisation in the oil and gas sector, a policy introduced under recent economic reforms aimed at attracting investment and stabilising fuel supply.
The hearing will continue on 5 November, when both sides are expected to present arguments on the alleged licence restrictions and claimed damages.
