Dangote files new lawsuit against Nigeria over fuel import licences

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has filed a new lawsuit against Nigeria’s Attorney General in a bid to overturn fuel import licences issued to marketers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), according to court documents seen by Reuters.

The case marks a renewed legal battle over fuel imports in Nigeria, nearly a year after the company withdrew an earlier lawsuit that had also challenged import permits granted to NNPC and several trading firms. That earlier case had sought to nullify import approvals, arguing they undermined domestic refining operations.

In the new filing before the Federal High Court in Lagos, Dangote is asking the court to set aside import permits issued or renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The company argues that the licences breach an earlier court order to maintain the status quo.

Regulators and fuel marketers, however, have maintained that imports remain necessary to ensure adequate supply and prevent fuel shortages across the country. The NMDPRA has not responded to requests for comment on the latest suit.

Dangote argues in its filing that continued issuance of import licences undermines its refinery operations and violates regulations that, according to the company, allow imports only when domestic supply is insufficient.

The dispute comes amid ongoing tensions over Nigeria’s fuel market structure. Nigeria has historically depended heavily on imported petrol due to underperforming state-owned refineries, even as Dangote’s $20 billion Lagos-based refinery, capable of processing 650,000 barrels per day, was expected to significantly reduce import reliance.

However, fuel imports have continued as the facility ramps up production, raising questions about competition and supply stability in Africa’s largest economy.

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The refinery’s previous legal challenge ended in July 2025 without explanation, leaving unresolved regulatory and commercial disputes between the company and the government over fuel import rights.

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