NMDPRA Faces Legal Challenge from Dangote Refinery

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is involved in a regulatory dispute with Dangote Petroleum Refinery regarding its operations within the Lekki Free Zone. This conflict arose following an August 24, 2026 letter from NMDPRA directing the suspension of loading and truck-out of petroleum products from the refinery.

In response, Dangote Refinery approached the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking to prevent NMDPRA from enforcing this directive. On August 31, 2026, Justice Akintayo Aluko granted an interim injunction that restrains NMDPRA from sealing, shutting down, or disrupting the refinery's operations while the case is pending, with a further hearing scheduled for September 9, 2026.

A key issue in this dispute is whether NMDPRA can exercise regulatory powers over a facility operating within a free zone, as Dangote argues that its refinery is protected from certain regulatory interventions. This situation also follows a previous disagreement over petroleum-product import licenses, which Dangote withdrew in 2025.