SERAP drags Adelabu, NBET To Court over missing N128bn

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged failure to account for a missing N128 billion in public funds in the power sector.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2026 and filed last Friday, is based on damning findings contained in the latest annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation published on September 9, 2025.

SERAP argued that the alleged financial irregularities have deepened Nigeria’s electricity crisis, contributing to frequent national grid collapses, including the first recorded collapse of 2026 that plunged large parts of the country into darkness last week.

In the lawsuit, SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus compelling Adelabu and NBET to account for the missing or diverted N128 billion allegedly linked to the Ministry of Power and NBET.

The organisation is also asking the court to direct the defendants to disclose full details of how the funds were spent, including dates of disbursement, names of beneficiaries or contractors, and their registered business addresses.

SERAP further wants the court to compel the disclosure of the identities and official positions of all public officers who authorised or approved the release of the disputed funds.

According to the group, Nigerians have a legitimate public interest in knowing how public resources meant to improve electricity supply were allegedly mismanaged.

In its filings, SERAP maintained that corruption in the power sector continues to impose severe hardship on citizens, who remain trapped in darkness while paying what it described as “crazy electricity bills.”

It argued that granting the reliefs sought would help curb impunity, improve accountability, and address the persistent breakdown of transmission infrastructure nationwide.

The civil society organisation relied heavily on the Auditor-General’s 2022 audited report, which raised concerns over billions of naira allegedly unaccounted for by the Ministry of Power.

These include over N4.4 billion transferred to project accounts without evidence of utilisation, more than N95 billion paid to contractors for projects with no proof of execution, and several other expenditures flagged as irregular or lacking approval.

SERAP also cited numerous alleged infractions at NBET, including irregular contract awards, undocumented payments running into billions of naira, extra-budgetary spending without approvals, and payments for services with no evidence of work done.

The suit was filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo. No date has yet been fixed for the hearing.