Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has withdrawn its appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, ending its legal challenge against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE over a 100 billion naira ($136 million) import license dispute, Nairametrics reported.

The case originated in July 2025, when Dangote Refinery filed suit against the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and several private fuel marketers. The refinery argued that the issuance of import licenses violated the Petroleum Industry Act, which allows imports only to bridge supply shortfalls, claiming that its production capacity was sufficient to meet national demand. Dangote also sought 100 billion naira in damages, asserting that continued importation undermined its operations.

The NMDPRA and NNPCL, along with other private fuel importers, maintained that imports were necessary to ensure a stable supply of petroleum products, citing that Dangote Refinery’s output had not yet reached levels sufficient to meet the country’s daily consumption requirements.

The FCCPC’s withdrawal, filed on August 26, 2025, by its legal counsel Olanrewaju A. Osinaike, came after Dangote Refinery discontinued the original suit at the Federal High Court. The notice of withdrawal also covered other stakeholders, including Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, A.A. Rano Limited, and four additional oil dealers.