An international arbitration tribunal under the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris has ruled in favour of Nigeria, dismissing claims amounting to $3.38 billion in a long-running dispute over the Mambilla power project in Taraba State.
President Bola Tinubu, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 17, 2026, confirmed that the tribunal rejected claims brought by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd, which had sought $680 million in settlement and an additional $2.7 billion in compensation and interest.
Tinubu described the ruling as a decisive victory against what he termed “predatory and exploitative claims by corrupt local and international entities and their enablers.” He commended the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the Federal Ministry of Justice team, alongside Nigeria’s defence counsel led by Elizabeth Oger-Gross and Tolu Obamuroh of Paul Hastings LLP, for their professional handling of the case.
The President also acknowledged the contributions of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari, who testified in the matter, as well as former ministers Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and Suleiman Adamu. He noted that the dispute stemmed from an unauthorised 2003 contract for a 3,050-megawatt hydroelectric plant under a build-operate-transfer model, which was never approved by the Federal Executive Council.
Tinubu further expressed gratitude to the National Security Adviser, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and expert witnesses for their roles in the arbitration. He stressed that while Nigeria remains committed to partnering with genuine investors and honouring its obligations, it will continue to resist opportunistic claims against its resources.
According to him, the ICC ruling has cleared a major legal obstacle, paving the way for the long-delayed 3,960-megawatt Mambilla hydro-power project to move forward.
