Manny Ita
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated a legal battle against the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc, filing suit FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2026 at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The lawsuit, filed on Friday, January 23, 2026, seeks an order of mandamus to compel the defendants to account for ₦128 billion in public funds allegedly missing or diverted, as documented in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2022 annual report published in September 2025. According to the court filings, the missing funds include ₦4.4 billion transferred to project accounts for the Mambilla, Zungeru, and Kashimbilla power plants without evidence of expenditure, and ₦95.4 billion paid to various contractors for projects that reportedly lack documentation or proof of execution.
The litigation further highlights a series of administrative irregularities, including ₦8 billion paid by NBET to beneficiaries without entry into payment vouchers, ₦282 million in non-personal advances to staff that exceeded statutory limits, and over ₦33 million spent on foreign travels without requisite approvals. SERAP is demanding the disclosure of the full names and designations of all public officers who authorized these releases, as well as the business names of the contractors involved. In its argument, the organization linked these financial discrepancies to the systemic failures in the national electricity grid, stating, “Nigerians continue to pay the price for the widespread and grand corruption in the power sector. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations.”
While the Ministry of Power has acknowledged the audit’s findings, Minister Adelabu previously clarified that the allegations refer to the 2022 financial year, which predates his August 2023 appointment. Despite this, SERAP maintains that the current leadership is legally bound to provide transparency and ensure the recovery of any misapplied funds. The group argues that the legal action is necessary to address the persistent breakdown of transmission lines and improve overall access to electricity. SERAP emphasized the urgency of the matter by noting that “granting the reliefs sought would contribute to tackling corruption in the power sector and addressing the persistent breakdown of transmission lines in the country.”
