February 09, (THEWILL) – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over his administration’s failure to prosecute contractors who allegedly collected over N167 billion from 31 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) without executing any projects.
The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, under suit number FHC/L/MISC/121/2025, also named the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), as a respondent.
SERAP is asking the court to compel President Tinubu to direct the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, to disclose the names of the contractors and companies that received the public funds but failed to execute the projects.
The organisation is also urging the court to mandate the government to prosecute those involved and recover the misappropriated funds.
Additionally, SERAP is demanding that Edun publish details of the projects, including their specific locations, the amount received by each contractor, and the names of the shareholders of the implicated companies.
According to SERAP, these demands are based on the findings in the 2021 Audited Report by the Auditor-General of the Federation, which revealed that numerous contractors and companies were paid for projects that were either abandoned or never initiated.
The report highlighted that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) alone disbursed N100 billion to contractors for projects that were not executed.
Other affected MDAs include the Nigerian Correctional Service, National Pension Commission, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Federal Medical Centre Bida, National Centre for Women Development, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and the Federal University of Gasua, among others.
SERAP argued that the failure to act on these allegations has severely impacted governance and the delivery of essential public goods and services, ultimately harming ordinary Nigerians.
It further argued that holding the contractors accountable would help combat fraud, corruption, and wasteful spending in MDAs, ensuring that public funds are properly utilised for national development.
Maintaining that the allegations constituted a gross violation of the Nigerian Constitution, the country’s anti-corruption laws, and international obligations, including the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), SERAP argued that ignoring these violations allowed corruption to thrive and places an additional financial burden on citizens, who are forced to pay out-of-pocket for critical services such as healthcare, education, and administration.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of SERAP by its legal representatives Kolawole Oluwadare and Oluwakemi Agunbiade, reads in part: “The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Oluwakemi Agunbiade, read in part: “Granting the reliefs sought would ensure transparency and accountability in how any public funds are spent by MDAs, and reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.
“The UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party contains requirements of integrity and honesty in economic, financial or commercial activities-both in the public and private sectors.
“It also imposes obligations on the government to ensure that sanctions imposed for corruption on natural and legal persons are effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
“Ensuring the accountability of companies and contractors and the recovery of any diverted public funds would improve public accountability in MDAs.
“The accountability of government to the general public is a hallmark of democratic governance, which Nigeria seeks to practice.
“According to the 2021 annual audited report by the Auditor-General of the Federation published on Wednesday 13 November 2024, thirty one (31) ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) paid over N167 billion [N167,592,177,559.40] to companies and contractors for contracts and projects not executed.
“The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., (NBET) alone reportedly paid N100 billion to companies and contractors for projects not executed.
“Companies and contractors reportedly collected N100 billion from the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., (NBET) for contracts and projects not executed.
“The thirty other MDAs including Nigerian Correctional Service; National Pension Commission, Abuja; Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Owerri; and Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) Office.
“Others include Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF); Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development; Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Niger state; National Centre for Women Development; Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution; National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB); Federal University of Gasua; and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
“Accountability requires transparency. Nigerians’ right to a democratic governance allows them to appreciably influence the direction of government, and have an opportunity to assess progress and assign blame.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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