The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the alleged mismanagement of N14 trillion saved from the removal of fuel subsidy.
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP accused the governors and Wike of failing to account for or transparently utilize the subsidy savings to address pressing issues like poverty, infrastructure, and salaries. SERAP argued that the public deserves to know how the funds have been spent and whether they are improving lives.
The group said that the lack of transparency and accountability raises serious concerns about potential corruption or misuse. SERAP is asking the court to compel the defendants to publish detailed reports on how they spent their shares of the subsidy savings since the federal government ended the fuel subsidy in 2023.
The suit also seeks a court order directing the governors and Wike to return any misused funds and adopt measures that ensure public funds benefit citizens directly. SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, stated that using the savings properly could reduce poverty and hardship, especially with rising fuel prices.
No date has been fixed for the hearing, but SERAP says the lawsuit reflects the urgent need for transparency in public finance management and calls on the judiciary to hold public officials accountable.
