The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has filed a preliminary objection in response to a suit by Dangote Petroleum Refinery seeking the withdrawal of its import licence.
In a notice filed at the federal high court in Abuja, NNPC urged the court to dismiss the suit, citing lack of jurisdiction and the plaintiff’s alleged lack of legal standing.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, was filed before Justice Inyang Ekwo on November 15. NNPC, represented by a legal team led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, argued that the case was premature and failed to establish a cause of action.
The company also called for its name to be struck out from the suit, claiming it had been erroneously sued as a “non-existent entity.”
Supporting the objection, Isiaka Popoola, a clerk at Afe Babalola & Co., noted that the NNPC referenced in Dangote’s summons does not legally exist. He argued that the plaintiff sued an entity referred to as “Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited,” which, according to a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) search, is not a registered entity.
Popoola further stated that the proper name of the company is Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and only this name is legally valid for litigation. He maintained that the misrepresentation renders the suit incompetent and urged the court to dismiss it in the interest of justice.
In addition to NNPC, several oil marketers named in the suit, including AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, have similarly asked the court to dismiss the case. Dangote Refinery’s initial request sought to void import licences issued to these companies and others, alleging that the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) violated provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in granting the licences.
Despite the ongoing legal dispute, Dangote Refinery has indicated plans to withdraw the lawsuit, which has been in court since June, by January 2025.
