Dangote refinery: NMDPRA mulls legal battle over access restriction
The Dangote refinery has secured a court injunction restraining the NMDPRA from interfering with its operations over a regulatory dispute in the Lekki Free Read More: https://punchng.com/dangote-refinery-nmdpra-mulls-legal-battle-over-access-restriction/
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is considering a legal battle over a restriction it placed on the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos. Last week, a Federal High Court in Lagos issued an interim injunction, preventing the NMDPRA from shutting down or interfering with the refinery's operations.
The refinery had requested the court after receiving a letter from the NMDPRA on August 24, 2026, instructing it to suspend the loading and truck-out of petroleum products. Justice Akintayo Aluko ruled in favor of the refinery, stating that the NMDPRA does not have regulatory authority over operations within free zones, including the Dangote Industrial Free Zone.
The agency had claimed that its regulatory power does not extend to free zones, but Justice Aluko disagreed, citing a letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation. The Dangote refinery has now asked the court to restrain the NMDPRA and its agents from enforcing the directive to shut down the facility while waiting for the court's decision.
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