The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to continue giving petroleum import licenses to three major oil marketers including AA Rano, Matrix Energy, and AYM Shafa.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Monday, ruled that NMDPRA’s refusal to grant these permits breaks the law. He stated that blocking qualified companies from importing fuel goes directly against the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021.
According to reports, the legal dispute started when the three companies faced delays from the regulator. Through their legal team, led by Raji Ahmed, SAN, the marketers argued that Nigerian law does not ban fuel importation.
Sabiu Saidu Mahuta, an Executive Director at AA Rano, explained in a court document that NMDPRA had only been issuing permits on a sporadic basis since July 2025.
He warned that holding back these licenses was slowly handing over the entire downstream sector to local refineries, creating an unfair monopoly. Mahuta also stated that the three companies have collectively invested over $20 billion in their business operations, including logistics and retail networks.
Justice Ekwo agreed with the marketers and declared that any attempt by the NMDPRA to withhold valid import licenses is null and void.
He ordered the agency to immediately resume issuing and renewing the licenses as long as the marketers meet the basic official requirements.
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