Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has officially withdrawn its N100 billion lawsuit against the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), and five other petroleum firms.
The case, which was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024 on September 6, 2024, was discontinued on Monday following a formal notice of withdrawal submitted by the company’s legal team.
According to the notice of discontinuance dated July 28 and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ogwu Onoja, Dangote Refinery has opted to end legal proceedings against all seven defendants. These include AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited.
“Take notice that the plaintiff herein discontinues this suit against the defendants forthwith,” the document stated.
The lawsuit had originally sought N100 billion in damages, accusing NMDPRA and others of violating Section 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act by granting import licences for petroleum products to selected marketers, a move Dangote argued undermined its refinery operations.
NNPC Ltd had challenged the suit with a preliminary objection, citing misidentification. However, Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled on March 18, 2025, that the error did not invalidate the case. The court allowed Dangote Refinery to amend its filings the next day and urged all parties to address the core issues rather than procedural defects.
The case had been scheduled for hearing on September 29, 2025. At the last session in July, Dangote’s lead counsel, George Ibrahim, SAN, requested an adjournment to allow parties to regularize their filings—a common practice in complex legal battles.
The sudden withdrawal, just two months before the next hearing, has raised questions. While no official explanation has been provided, industry sources speculate that behind-the-scenes negotiations may have led to an out-of-court resolution. Whether a financial settlement, regulatory compromise, or strategic shift by Dangote prompted the decision remains unclear.
