Dangote Refinery Sues Attorney-General Over Fuel Import Licences
Court documents filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos showed that the refinery dragged the Attorney-General of the Federation to court over import permits allegedly granted by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
According to the refinery, the approvals violate an earlier court order directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the matter.
The latest legal action comes months after Dangote Refinery withdrew a similar suit it filed in 2025 against the NNPCL and several fuel importers over the continued importation of petroleum products into the country.
While fuel marketers and regulators have defended the issuance of import licences, insisting that imported petrol remains necessary to guarantee stable supply nationwide, Dangote Refinery argued that the approvals undermine local refining efforts and contradict provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The company maintained that fuel importation should only be permitted when local production is unable to meet domestic demand.
Dangote Refinery, valued at about $20 billion with a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil daily, was established to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
Despite the commencement of operations at the facility, fuel importation has continued, with industry stakeholders arguing that local refining output has yet to fully satisfy national consumption needs.
The dispute is expected to further fuel debates over market regulation, energy security, local refining, and the implementation of Nigeria’s petroleum laws.
The development also follows earlier complaints by the refinery accusing some local crude oil producers of failing to supply crude to the facility in line with provisions of the PIA.
In a previous statement, Dangote Refinery alleged that inadequate domestic crude supply forced it to rely heavily on international traders, resulting in increased operational costs due to additional premiums on crude purchases.
According to the company, the rising cost of sourcing crude oil has complicated efforts to maintain stable fuel supply amid fluctuations in the global energy market.
