The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has taken over the legal defence of the Federal Government as it moves to oppose a lawsuit filed by Dangote Refinery challenging Nigeria’s petroleum import licensing framework.
The case, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeks to stop the issuance and renewal of licences for the importation of Premium Motor Spirit, diesel, and aviation fuel, with the refinery arguing that it is now capable of meeting Nigeria’s full domestic fuel demand.
Dangote Refinery also alleged that relevant government agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), have failed to ensure adequate crude oil supply needed for stable operations.
In response, the Federal Government, through the AGF, has assumed control of the defence, with NNPC Ltd. and other regulatory bodies submitting detailed counterarguments rejecting the claims.
NNPC warned that granting the refinery’s requests could disrupt national fuel supply stability, weaken emergency response capacity, and threaten the structure of petroleum distribution under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The company further argued that the suit mirrors an earlier case withdrawn in 2024 and maintained that key provisions of the PIA being relied upon cannot apply without an established backward integration policy framework.
It also stressed that NNPC’s statutory role as supplier of last resort requires continued fuel import planning and strategic reserves to prevent shortages across the country.
According to filings, the government and its agencies insist they are necessary parties in the case due to their central roles in crude allocation, refining oversight, import licensing, and national fuel distribution management.
The matter is now before the Federal High Court as stakeholders in the downstream petroleum sector await a ruling that could significantly reshape Nigeria’s fuel supply structure and the balance between domestic refining and import dependence.
