Dangote Petroleum Refinery has filed a fresh lawsuit against Nigeria’s Attorney General, seeking to cancel fuel import licences granted to marketers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
Court documents show that the new case, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, asks the court to revoke import permits issued or renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The organization argues that the permits breach a previous court order to maintain the status quo.
The refinery claims the licences issued this month undermine its operations and violate regulations that allow fuel imports only when local supply is inadequate.
NMDPRA has not yet responded to requests for comment.
This legal action comes nearly one year after Dangote withdrew an earlier lawsuit that challenged similar import permits.
The company ended that case in July 2025 without giving reasons.
Regulators and fuel marketers have maintained that imports remain necessary to ensure steady supply and prevent shortages across the country.
Nigeria has depended heavily on imported petrol for years because of the poor performance of state-owned refineries.
The Dangote Refinery, a $20 billion facility with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, was expected to end this reliance.
However, imports have continued as the refinery gradually increases production.
The latest suit highlights ongoing tensions between the private refinery and regulators over competition and fuel supply in Africa’s biggest oil-producing nation
