The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over his alleged failure to prosecute contractors who collected over N167 billion from 31 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) without executing any projects.
The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos last Friday, also names the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, as a respondent.
In suit number FHC/L/MISC/121/2025, SERAP is urging the court to compel President Tinubu to direct Fagbemi to bring to justice any companies and contractors implicated in the alleged fraud.
The group is also seeking an order to mandate Finance Minister Olawale Edun to publicly disclose the names of the contractors and details of the abandoned projects, as documented in the 2021 Audited Report by the Auditor-General of the Federation.
SERAP argued that the failure to prosecute the alleged culprits undermines Nigerians’ access to essential public services and contributes to the mismanagement of public funds.
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“The allegations of corruption involving companies and contractors who collected over N167 billion from 31 MDAs have continued to impair, obstruct, and undermine access of poor Nigerians to public goods and services,” SERAP stated.
The organisation insists that holding the contractors accountable would help combat fraud, prevent waste, and ensure responsible use of public resources.
“The consequences of corruption are felt by citizens daily, exposing them to additional costs for healthcare, education, and administrative services,” SERAP added.
According to SERAP, the 2021 Auditor-General’s report, published on November 13, 2024, revealed that 31 MDAs paid over N167 billion for unexecuted projects.
The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) alone allegedly paid N100 billion to contractors without receiving any corresponding work.
Other affected MDAs reportedly include the Nigerian Correctional Service, National Pension Commission, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
Additional agencies named in the report include the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
SERAP maintained that the government’s failure to act violates the Nigerian Constitution and international anti-corruption obligations.
The lawsuit seeks to enforce transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
“The UN Convention against Corruption, to which Nigeria is a party, requires integrity and honesty in financial transactions and mandates effective sanctions against corrupt practices,” SERAP’s legal team, led by Kolawole Oluwadare and Oluwakemi Agunbiade, argued in court filings.
The organisation further emphasized that public accountability is essential for democracy, stating, “Nigerians have the right to assess government performance and demand transparency in the use of public funds.”
No date has been set for the hearing of the case.
