The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) at the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged failure to account for a missing or diverted N128 billion from the Ministry of Power and NBET.
Gatekeepers News reports that the allegations are contained in the latest annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on September 9, 2025.
According to SERAP, corruption in the power sector has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s persistent electricity crisis, including the first national grid collapse recorded in 2026, which plunged the country into darkness last week.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2026, filed at the weekend, SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus compelling Adelabu and NBET to account for the missing or diverted funds.
The group is also asking the court to order the defendants to disclose how the N128 billion was spent, including the dates of disbursement, the beneficiaries or contractors involved, and their registered business names and addresses.
SERAP further wants the court to compel the minister and NBET to reveal the identities of all public officials who “authorised, approved, or otherwise participated in the release of the missing or diverted funds.”
In its court filing, SERAP argued that Nigerians have continued to pay the price for “widespread and grand corruption in the power sector,” insisting that there is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability over the alleged diversion.
The organisation said granting the reliefs sought would help curb corruption in the power sector, address the persistent breakdown of transmission lines, and improve access to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply.
“Ordinary Nigerians continue to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector, staying in darkness, but are still made to pay crazy electricity bills,” the group stated.
The lawsuit, filed on SERAP’s behalf by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, maintained that the Auditor-General’s findings point to “a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and international anticorruption standards.”
