SERAP Sues Power Minister, NBET Over Missing ₦128 Billion

Former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu

SERAP Sues Power Minister, NBET Over Missing ₦128 Billion

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) at the Federal High Court, Abuja, over their alleged failure to account for ₦128 billion of public funds. The suit was filed following findings in the Auditor-General’s 2022 annual report, published on September 9, 2025, highlighting massive financial irregularities in the Ministry of Power and NBET.

According to SERAP, the missing funds have contributed to the frequent grid collapses across Nigeria, with the first nationwide grid collapse of 2026 occurring last week, leaving millions of Nigerians in darkness.

Filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2026, SERAP is seeking mandamus orders to compel the Minister of Power and NBET to:

Account for the ₦128 billion, including dates, recipients, and disbursement details.
Disclose names, designations, and offices of all public officers involved in authorizing or approving the release of the funds.
Provide full transparency on contractors and beneficiaries, including their registered business names and addresses.

SERAP argued that the allegations indicate widespread corruption in the electricity sector, where ordinary Nigerians are forced to pay high electricity bills while remaining in darkness. The group emphasized that granting the reliefs would tackle corruption, restore accountability, and improve access to regular and uninterrupted electricity.

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The Auditor-General’s report revealed alarming irregularities in both the Ministry of Power and NBET, including:

Ministry of Power:
- Over ₦4.4 billion transferred to Mambilla, Zungeru, and Kashimbilla project accounts with no evidence of expenditure, raising fears of diversion.
- Payments exceeding ₦95 billion to contractors without documentation or proof that projects were executed.
- ₦33 million spent on foreign travels for officials without proper approvals.
- ₦230 million spent on the GIGMIS platform with no accountability.
- ₦282 million paid as non-personal advances beyond the statutory limit.
NBET:
- Irregular contracts exceeding ₦427 million awarded without procurement due process.
- Over ₦7 billion transferred to unnamed sub-accounts with no authority.
- ₦9.3 billion paid to Egbin Power PLC without authenticating documentation.
- Over ₦8 billion paid to beneficiaries without recording transactions in official registers.
- Contracts totaling ₦420 million awarded to ineligible consultants for services that could not be verified.
- Over ₦61 million spent on consultancy services outside approved budgets.
- Payments for vehicles, legal fees, staff programs, extra-budgetary spending, and promotional items without approvals or documentation.

SERAP’s lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, argue that these grave violations undermine public trust, the Nigerian Constitution, and international anti-corruption standards. They noted that under Section 13 and 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution, the Ministry of Power and NBET are obligated to eliminate corrupt practices, and that under Article 26 of the UN Convention Against Corruption, effective sanctions must be applied to deter grand corruption.

No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the suit, but the case is seen as a potential milestone for enforcing accountability and transparency in Nigeria’s power sector.