The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has given the green light for petrol import permits covering about 830,000 metric tonnes. This approval is for several companies ahead of the last quarter of 2026, PREMIUM TIMES has learned.
George Ene-Ita, the spokesperson for NMDPRA, confirmed this news to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.
"Yes, petrol import permits were approved for Q4 2026 to ensure there are no supply gaps heading into the critical end-of-year period," Mr Ene-Ita said.
Companies that received the permits include Matrix Energy, A.A. Rano, AYM Shafa, NIPCO, Pinnacle Oil, and Bono Energy.
The approvals were issued on September 18. However, details about how much each company will receive were not immediately available at the time of this report.
The latest approvals come amidst a legal fight between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the regulator over the ongoing issuance of petrol import licenses.
They also come as rising tensions in the Middle East disrupt global energy markets, raising crude oil prices and concerns about the cost of petrol supplies.
In May, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Dangote Petroleum Refinery filed a new lawsuit against the Attorney-General of the Federation. The lawsuit challenges fuel import licenses issued to oil marketers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
In the case, the refinery claims that the licenses given to some marketers threaten its operations. They argue these licenses go against the rules of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The refinery insists that fuel import licenses should only be given when local supply cannot meet national demand.
Nigeria has long relied on imported petrol due to its state-owned refineries not working well.
The $20 billion Dangote Refinery, owned by businessman Aliko Dangote, was expected to cut down Nigeria’s reliance on imported refined petrol by supplying the local market.
With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, it is Africa’s largest single-train refinery. It was set to ease the foreign exchange pressure linked to fuel imports.
But petrol imports keep happening as the refinery increases production and distribution. Some in the industry say that local output has not yet fully met national demand.
Since starting operations in 2024, Dangote Refinery has pushed for local marketers to get petroleum products from Nigerian refineries instead of relying on imports.
The previous NMDPRA leadership under Farouk Ahmed resisted measures that could create a monopoly. They argued that letting one refinery control the market could hurt competition and energy security in Nigeria.
This disagreement led to public tensions between Mr Dangote and Mr Ahmed.
Mr Dangote later accused the former regulator of corruption. He claimed that NMDPRA was working with foreign traders and fuel importers to hinder local refining by continuing to issue import licenses.
He also questioned Mr Ahmed's lifestyle, alleging that four of his children attended expensive secondary schools in Switzerland. These claims became part of a larger controversy over the regulator's actions.
Mr Ahmed eventually resigned as NMDPRA chief executive.
In 2024, Dangote Refinery launched a separate case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, seeking N100 billion in damages against NMDPRA over the issuance of import licenses to some marketers and the subsequent importation of petrol products.
The marketers listed in the suit included NNPC Ltd, Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, AYM Shafa Limited, A.A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, and 2015 Petroleum Limited.
In the suit dated September 6, 2024, the refinery’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, asked the Federal High Court to rule that NMDPRA broke Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act by issuing licenses for importing petrol products.
Dangote Refinery argued that these licenses should only be issued when there is a shortfall in local petrol supply.
The refinery also asked the court to rule that NMDPRA failed to do its job under the PIA to support local refining.
In a counter-affidavit dated November 5, 2024, the marketers asked the court to dismiss the refinery’s claims. They argued that competition is vital for Nigeria’s economy and the health of the petroleum sector. They insisted they qualified for import licenses under Section 317(9) of the PIA.
The defendants also accused Dangote Refinery of trying to monopolize the petroleum industry by seeking control over fuel supply, distribution, and pricing.
In July 2025, Dangote Refinery dropped the lawsuit challenging the import approvals. The refinery did not explain why it withdrew the case.
Meanwhile, the current case challenging the ongoing issuance of petrol import licenses is set for another hearing on October 7.
When asked on Tuesday for an update on the legal fight with Dangote Refinery, Mr Ene-Ita declined to comment, saying the case is still in court.
"The Dangote case is still in court. I cannot say anything in a court case," he said.
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