The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) over their alleged failure to account for ₦128 billion in missing or diverted public funds.
SERAP disclosed this in a statement on Sunday signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, linking corruption in the power sector to Nigeria’s recurring electricity grid collapses. The organisation noted that Nigerians last week experienced the first grid collapse of 2026, plunging the country into widespread darkness.
According to SERAP, the allegations are contained in the latest annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on September 9, 2025.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2026, was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja. SERAP is asking the court to issue an order of mandamus compelling Mr Adelabu and NBET to account for the missing or diverted ₦128 billion from the Ministry of Power and NBET.
The group is also seeking an order of mandamus directing the minister and NBET to disclose the full names, official designations, and offices of all public officers who authorised, approved, or participated in the release of the funds.
“Nigerians continue to pay the price for the widespread and grand corruption in the power sector. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations,” SERAP stated.
The organisation argued that granting the reliefs sought would help curb corruption in the power sector, address persistent transmission line failures, and improve access to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply nationwide. It added that judicial intervention would strike a blow against the impunity of those allegedly responsible for diverting public funds meant for electricity provision.
“Ordinary Nigerians continue to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector — staying in darkness, but still made to pay crazy electricity bills,” the statement said.
SERAP cited findings from the 2022 audited report of the Auditor-General, which revealed that the Federal Ministry of Power failed to account for over ₦4.4 billion (₦4,404,647,938.53) transferred to the Mambilla, Zungeru and Kashimbilla project accounts. The report stated that there was no evidence of how the funds were expended, raising fears that the money may have been diverted, and recommended that it be recovered and remitted to the treasury.
The report also indicated that the ministry paid over ₦95 billion (₦95,415,183,701.83) to some contractors for various projects, but there were no documents on the payments and no evidence that the projects existed or were executed. The Auditor-General warned that the funds may have been diverted and called for their recovery.
SERAP maintained that the allegations represent a grave violation of public trust, the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and international anti-corruption standards.
