In a recent development, a Federal High Court in Abuja has made a decision regarding a ₦100 billion import license lawsuit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The court dismissed NNPCL’s objection to the lawsuit, citing the failure to submit a counter-affidavit as a key factor. Instead of following proper court procedures, NNPCL filed a preliminary objection, which was deemed inadequate by Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Justice Ekwo highlighted that jurisdictional issues could be addressed at the final judgment stage and criticized NNPCL for not adhering to Federal High Court rules. The judge also noted that allowing Dangote Refinery to amend its lawsuit would not cause any harm to NNPCL. Additionally, the court ruled in favor of Dangote Refinery’s request to correct its filing and include NNPCL’s name accurately.
Furthermore, the court rejected the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (FCCPC) request to join the lawsuit as a party. The FCCPC had argued that Dangote Refinery’s actions aimed at monopolizing the petroleum industry contradicted its mandate to ensure fair market practices. However, Dangote Refinery opposed the FCCPC’s involvement in the case, labeling the commission as an unnecessary party.
In response to the FCCPC’s application, the judge dismissed the request and scheduled the next hearing for May 6.