Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Power Mr Adebayo Adelabu and Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., (NBET), Abuja “over the failure to account for the missing or diverted N128 billion of public funds from the Ministry of Power and NBET.”
The grave allegations are documented in the latest annual report published by the Auditor-General on 9 September 2025. Corruption contributes significantly to the frequent grid collapses, as Nigerians last week witnessed the first grid collapse of 2026, plunging the country into darkness.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2026 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Adelabu and NBET to account for the missing or diverted ₦128 billion from the ministry of power and NBET.”
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2026 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Adelabu and NBET to account for the missing or diverted ₦128 billion from the ministry of power and NBET.”
According to the recently published 2022 audited report by the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Power failed to account for over N4.4 billion [N4,404,647,938.53] ‘transferred to Mambilla, Zungeru and Kashimbilla project accounts by the Ministry.’”
There was ‘no evidence of how the funds were expended.’ The Auditor-General fears ‘the money may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury.”
“The Ministry also paid over N95 billion [N95,415,183,701.83] to ‘some contractors for various projects.’ But ‘there was no document on the payments, and no evidence that the projects existed and were executed.’ The Auditor-General fears ‘the money may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered.”
“The Ministry paid over N33 million [N33,557,959.00] ‘for foreign travels’, but ‘without any approvals.’ The money ‘was paid as estacodflight tickets, visa fees and other allowances to enable the minister and his aides to attend the World Utilities Congress at Abu Dhabi and Huawei innovation land exhibition in Dubai.”
“The travels ‘were never approved by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation or the Head of Civil Service.’ The Auditor-General fears ‘the money may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury.”
The Ministry failed to account for over N230 million [N230,795,255.27] being ‘expenditure on the GIGMIS platform.’ The Auditor-General fears ‘the money may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury.”
“The Ministry also paid over N282 million [N282,672,576.53] as ‘non-personal advances to various staff of the ministry for the procurement of goods and services.’ But the ‘payments were beyond the statutory threshold of N200,000.00.’ The Auditor-General fears ‘the money may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered.”
“The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., (NBET) Abuja alsoirregularly awarded contracts for over N427 million [N427,491,866.16]. There was ‘no evidence of advert placements in the procurement journal’.”
“The Auditor-General fears ‘the contracts may have been awarded to incompetent contractors’, resulting in ‘loss of government funds.’”
“NBET ‘irregularly transferred over N7 billion [N7,620,840,000.00] into purported sub-accounts of unnamed beneficiaries.’ There was also ‘no authority for such payment, contrary to the Financial Regulations
Source: Vanguard
