Dangote Group intends to withdraw ₦100bn suit against NMDPRA, A.A Rano, others-Official
By Bala Salihu Dawakin kudu. On Oct 22, 2024
The Dangote Group has announced its decision to withdraw a ₦100 billion lawsuit against the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which was filed in response to the issuance of import licenses to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, and four other companies.
The Dangote Refinery argued that the NMDPRA violated sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by granting these licenses despite no proven shortfall in petroleum products, claiming it hurt the refinery’s operations.
However, the group’s spokesman, Anthony Chiejina, stated that the involved parties are now engaged in conciliatory talks, leading to the decision to halt legal proceedings. While no court orders have been issued yet, the Dangote Group plans to formally withdraw the case during the next hearing in January 2025.
The suit originally sought to void the import licenses and prevent their renewal, as Dangote Refinery believed the actions were detrimental to its business, which had invested billions into local petroleum production. The refinery, which began operations in December 2023 with a capacity of 350,000 barrels per day, plans to ramp up to 650,000 barrels per day by the end of 2024, supplying diesel, aviation fuel, and petrol to Nigerian markets.
