Court Dismisses NNPCL’s Objection In ₦100bn Dangote Refinery Lawsuit

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) objection to a ₦100 billion import license lawsuit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo stated that the NNPCL failed to submit a counter-affidavit challenging the allegations made by Dangote Refinery.

Instead, the company opted to file a preliminary objection, which, according to the judge, went against proper court procedures.

Justice Ekwo explained that while objections regarding the court’s jurisdiction can be raised at any stage of a case, such matters should typically be addressed during the final judgment rather than through preliminary objections that do not directly counter the plaintiff’s claims.

The judge also criticised the NNPCL for violating Order 16 of the Federal High Court rules, which governs the proper filing of court applications.

He described the NNPCL’s preliminary objection as incompetent, further strengthening the case in favour of Dangote Refinery.

Additionally, the court ruled on Dangote Refinery’s request to amend its legal filings, particularly the proper citation of NNPCL’s corporate name in the suit.

Justice Ekwo granted the amendment, stating that making such corrections would not cause any injustice to the NNPCL or affect the case’s substance.

The ruling marks a significant development in the legal battle between the Dangote Refinery and the NNPCL, which has been at the center of controversy over import licensing and crude oil supply policies.

With this decision, the lawsuit will proceed to its substantive hearing, potentially shaping future policies in Nigeria’s petroleum refining and importation sector.