October 22, (THEWILL) – The Dangote Refinery has said the legal action seeking the revocation of import licences granted to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) Limited and other oil companies, including Matrix Petroleum Services Limited and A. A. Rano, to bring petroleum products into the country, is not a fresh case.
THEWILL reports that the clarification follows reports of an earlier suit filed by the Dangote Refinery before the Federal High Court in Abuja, against NNPCL and other oil companies including Aym Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, Matrix Petroleum Services Limited (1st to 7th defendants) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Dangote had in its originating summons dated September 6, 2024, contended that the NMDPRA violated Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act by issuing licences for the importation of petroleum products. Noting that such licences should only be issued in circumstances where there is a petroleum product shortfall, the company urged the court to grant “an order of injunction restraining the 1st Defendant from further issuing and/or renewing import licences to the 2nd to 7th defendants or other companies for the purpose of importing petroleum products.
“General damages in the sum of N100 billion against the 1st Defendant (NMDPRA) and an order of court directing the 1st Defendant to seal off all tank farms, storage facilities, warehouses, and stations used by the defendants for the storage of all refined petroleum products imported into Nigeria.
“The intervention of the Honourable Court has become necessary in order to stem the incessant violation of statutory provisions by the 1st Defendant in favour of other entities such as the 2nd to 7th defendants.”
In a statement on Monday night, the spokesperson of Dangote Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, said the parties are in discussion since the President Bola Tinubu’s directive on Crude Oil and Refined products sales in Naira Initiative, which was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
He further hinted that once the matter comes up January 2025, “We would be in a position to formally withdraw the matter in court.”
The statement reads: “This is an old issue that started in June and culminated in a matter being filed on September 6, 2024. Currently, the parties are in discussion since the President Bola Tinubu’s directive on Crude Oil and Refined products sales in Naira Initiative, which was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
“We have made tremendous progress in that regard and events have overtaken this development. No party has been served with court processes and there is no intention of doing so. We have agreed to put a halt to the proceedings.
“It is important to stress that no orders have been made and there are no adverse effects on any party. We understand that once the matter comes up January 2025, we would be in a position to formally withdraw the matter in court”, Dangote said in a statement.
