Federal High Court Says Eligible Marketers Can Obtain or Renew Licences Subject to Statutory Requirements.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform — September 29, 2026
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to continue granting, issuing, extending and renewing petroleum-products import licences for three major oil marketers — Matrix Energy, A.A. Rano and AYM Shafa — provided they meet applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Justice Inyang Ekwo delivered the judgment on Monday in a suit filed by the three companies against the petroleum regulator over the issuance and renewal of their import licences.
The court held that the NMDPRA’s refusal to issue or renew the licences in the circumstances presented before it was inconsistent with provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. The court also held that relevant provisions of the PIA, read alongside the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, require the regulator to promote competition and prevent abuse of dominant market positions and restrictive business practices in the midstream and downstream petroleum sectors.
The court, however, did not remove the NMDPRA’s regulatory authority. The three marketers remain required to satisfy all applicable conditions before licences, permits or authorisations can be issued, extended or renewed.
The case comes amid significant changes in Nigeria’s petroleum market, particularly with increasing domestic refining capacity. The development has also drawn attention to a separate legal challenge by Dangote Petroleum Refinery concerning the continued issuance of fuel-import licences, with that matter pending before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The Abuja ruling has therefore added a new dimension to the ongoing debate over the role of imported petroleum products alongside growing domestic refining capacity and the regulatory framework governing competition in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.
For Nigerian consumers and industry stakeholders, the legal developments are being closely watched as the country continues to adjust to changes in fuel supply, refining capacity and petroleum-market regulation.
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