SERAP sues Tinubu over alleged N167bn project fraud in MDAs
By Austine Agbo Emmanuel
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu, citing his failure to ensure the prosecution of contractors who allegedly received over N167 billion from 31 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) without executing the assigned projects.
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos under case number FHC/L/MISC/121/2025, also lists the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, as a respondent. SERAP is urging the court to compel President Tinubu to direct the Attorney General to take legal action against the implicated contractors.
SERAP is requesting the court to mandate the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, to disclose the names of the companies involved and provide details about the unexecuted projects, including their locations, the amounts received, and the shareholders of the firms.
These requests stem from findings in the 2021 audit report by the Auditor General of the Federation.
SERAP argues that holding these companies accountable is crucial in curbing corruption, preventing the misuse of public funds, and ensuring transparency. The organisation asserts that corruption negatively impacts citizens by limiting access to essential services such as healthcare and education.
The lawsuit emphasises that allowing such financial misconduct to go unpunished violates Nigeria’s Constitution, anti-corruption laws, and international commitments. It also highlights that ensuring accountability in MDAs would promote good governance and public trust.
The audit report referenced in the case, published on November 13, 2024, details that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) alone disbursed N100 billion to contractors for unexecuted projects.
Other affected MDAs include the Nigerian Correctional Service, National Pension Commission, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), and several federal institutions.
SERAP stresses that transparency is a fundamental aspect of democratic governance, allowing citizens to evaluate government performance. No date has been set for the hearing of the case.
