The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the high-profile N100 billion lawsuit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and others until November 5, 2025.
The hearing, originally scheduled for Wednesday, could not proceed due to the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, who was sitting at the court’s Enugu division.
The suit, which challenges the legality of petroleum import licenses issued by the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), has been reassigned to Justice Umar and will now be heard de novo (afresh).
Dangote Refinery is seeking a court order to nullify the import licenses granted to NNPCL and five other oil marketing companies. The refinery argues that the NMDPRA violated the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by issuing these licenses, claiming they should only be permitted when there is a national shortfall of petroleum products.
In their defense, the NNPCL has filed a preliminary objection, requesting the court to strike out the case for being “incompetent” and suing a non-existent entity. The NMDPRA and the oil marketers have also opposed the suit, arguing that Dangote’s current production does not meet national demand and that granting its request would create an unhealthy monopoly.
The case is set for a crucial hearing on November 5.
