The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated legal action against President Bola Tinubu, stemming from his administration’s negligence in prosecuting contractors who allegedly received over N167 billion from 31 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) without completing any projects.
The lawsuit, registered at the Federal High Court in Lagos under suit number FHC/L/MISC/121/2025, also names the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), as a respondent.
SERAP is urging the court to compel Tinubu to instruct the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, to reveal the identities of the contractors and companies that misappropriated public funds but failed to carry out the agreed-upon projects.
Furthermore, the organisation is requesting the court to mandate the government to pursue legal action against those implicated and to recover the misappropriated funds.
Additionally, SERAP demands that Edun publish comprehensive details of the projects, including specific locations, the amounts disbursed to each contractor, and the names of the shareholders of the implicated companies.
According to SERAP, these demands are substantiated by findings in the 2021 Audited Report from the Auditor-General of the Federation, which disclosed that numerous contractors and companies were compensated for projects that were either abandoned or never commenced.
The report indicated that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) alone distributed N100 billion to contractors for unexecuted projects.
Other affected MDAs include the Nigerian Correctional Service, National Pension Commission, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Federal Medical Centre Bida, National Centre for Women Development, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and the Federal University of Gasua, among others.
SERAP contended that the lack of action on these allegations has severely undermined governance and the provision of essential public goods and services, ultimately harming ordinary Nigerians.
The organisation maintained that holding the contractors accountable would help combat fraud, corruption, and wasteful spending within MDAs, ensuring that public funds are effectively utilised for national development.
SERAP further asserted that the allegations represent a serious violation of the Nigerian Constitution, anti-corruption laws, and international obligations, including the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).
The organisation argued that neglecting these violations facilitates corruption and places an additional financial strain on citizens, who must pay out-of-pocket for vital services such as healthcare, education, and administration.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of SERAP by its legal representatives Kolawole Oluwadare and Oluwakemi Agunbiade, claims that granting the reliefs sought would help restore transparency and accountability in the management of public funds by MDAs.
SERAP insisted that the government must impose effective and deterrent sanctions on individuals and companies found guilty of corruption in accordance with international best practices.
The organisation emphasised that recovering the diverted public funds and prosecuting those responsible would greatly enhance public trust in governance and reinforce the rule of law.
It stressed that transparency is crucial to democratic governance, as it enables citizens to monitor government performance, assess policy effectiveness, and demand accountability from public officials.
As of now, the court has not scheduled a date for the hearing of the case.
