The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated legal action against President Bola Tinubu, alleging his inaction in directing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, to identify and ensure the prosecution of contractors who received over N167 billion from 31 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) without executing any projects.Joining the lawsuit as a respondent is the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.In the lawsuit, numbered FHC/L/MISC/121/2025 and filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is requesting the court to compel President Tinubu to instruct Mr. Fagbemi to take appropriate legal action against any companies and contractors who appropriated over N167 billion of public funds from 31 MDAs without delivering on their projects.
Furthermore, SERAP is urging the court to require President Tinubu to order Mr. Olawale Edun to disclose the specific identities of the companies and contractors that received the N167 billion, as accounted for in the 2021 Audited Report by the Auditor General of the Federation.SERAP also seeks to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr. Olawale Edun to provide details regarding the projects, including their locations, the amounts received by each contractor and company, and the names of their shareholders.In the lawsuit, SERAP contends that the corruption allegations involving various companies and contractors who received over N167 billion from 31 MDAs continue to hinder access of impoverished Nigerians to essential public goods and services.
They assert that holding these companies and contractors accountable for misappropriating N167 billion would help prevent and combat waste, fraud, and abuse in public fund expenditures.
SERAP emphasizes that there is a valid public interest in not concealing or allowing entrenched misconduct by companies and contractors to remain unpunished.
They argue that the effects of corruption are experienced daily by citizens, forcing them to incur additional expenses for health, education, and administrative services.
The organization points out that the allegations represent a serious violation of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended), the nation’s anti-corruption laws, and its international anti-corruption commitments.
In their statement, filed on SERAP’s behalf by lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms. Oluwakemi Agunbiade, they assert, “Granting the requested reliefs would promote transparency and accountability in the use of public funds by MDAs and reduce the risk of corruption and mismanagement.
They note that the UN Convention against Corruption, to which Nigeria is a signatory, sets forth requirements for integrity and honesty in economic, financial, or commercial activities in both the public and private sectors.
The convention mandates that governments enforce effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions for corruption against individuals and companies.SERAP argues that ensuring accountability for companies and contractors, as well as recovering any misappropriated public funds, would enhance public responsibility within the MDAs.
They emphasize, “The accountability of the government to the public is a fundamental principle of democratic governance, which Nigeria aspires to uphold.”According to the 2021 annual audited report published by the Auditor-General of the Federation on November 13, 2024, a total of over N167 billion (specifically N167,592,177,559.40) was paid by 31 MDAs to contractors for unexecuted contracts and projects.Notably, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) reportedly disbursed N100 billion to contractors for projects that were never realized.
The remaining MDAs involved include the Nigerian Correctional Service, the National Pension Commission, the Federal College of Land Resources Technology in Owerri, and the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) Office, among others. Other entities include the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the Federal Medical Centre in Bida (Niger State), the National Centre for Women Development, the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), the Federal University of Gasua, and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
