The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL has hindered Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE from amending its import license lawsuit against NNPCL, Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, A.A. Rano Limited, and four other companies.
Dangote Refinery’s legal team on Thursday sought to amend the suit to correct a “clerical spelling” error, but the request could not be heard due to NNPCL’s insistence on resolving its preliminary objection first.
In its originating summons dated September 6, 2024, the plaintiff’s lawyer, George Ibrahim, SAN, argued that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority,
NMDPRA allegedly violated Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act by issuing import licenses for petroleum products, which should only be granted when there is a proven shortfall in supply
However, Counsel for the NNPCL Ademola Abimbola, opposed Ibrahim’s argument, stating that Dangote refinery has not provided them with the previous court judgment cited by its lawyer
Presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo however fixed February 5, 2025 for hearing of the preliminary objection
Dangote Refinery had filed a suit seeking N100 billion damages against NMDPRA for allegedly continuing to issue import licenses to NNPCL, Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, A.A. Rano Limited, and four other companies On grounds that the products are already being produced domestically
The suit states that the practice of importing petroleum products has persisted despite the production of AGO and Jet-A1 that exceeds the current daily consumption of
petroleum products in Nigeria by the Dangote Refinery
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
