Court Dismisses $19.6M Suit Against NNPCL by Altern Dimens

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja dismissed a $19.6 million lawsuit filed by Altern Dimens Venture Limited against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The suit claimed professional fees related to a direct sale under a DSDP e-pro contract, alleging that NNPCL had expanded the terms of an oral agreement.

Counsel for Altern Dimens, Patrick Peter, argued that they were entitled to revise the sum for services rendered based on this alleged expansion. However, NNPCL's lawyer, Ituah Imhanz, opposed the claim, asserting that the parties were bound by the clear terms of the written agreement and that no written amendments existed to support the alleged oral variation.

Justice Hamza Mu'azu delivered the judgment, stating that the contract terms were clear and unambiguous, and no evidence was presented to support the claim of an oral variation. Consequently, the court dismissed the suit for lack of merit, reaffirming that modifications to a written contract must be documented.