The Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited over its failure to account for the alleged missing ₦500 billion, which the company reportedly failed to remit to the Federation Account between October and December 2024. SERAP’s legal action comes after allegations made by the World Bank, which revealed that out of the ₦1.1 trillion generated from crude sales and other income sources in 2024, NNPC only remitted ₦600 billion. This left a deficit of ₦500 billion, which remains unaccounted for.
According to the lawsuit filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, the organisation is demanding that NNPC explain the whereabouts of this missing amount. The suit, number FHC/L/MSC/553/2025, seeks to compel NNPC to account for the missing funds.
In the legal documents, SERAP is asking for an order of mandamus to direct NNPC to account for the alleged missing ₦500 billion.
The organisation also wants the court to instruct NNPC to invite appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate the spending and whereabouts of the funds. Furthermore, SERAP requests that those responsible for the missing money be identified, held accountable, and handed to relevant authorities for investigation and prosecution.
The lawsuit follows NNPC’s response to SERAP’s Freedom of Information (FoI) request, where the company argued that the FoI Act does not apply to it. NNPC’s lawyers, Afe Babalola and Co, claimed that the company is exempt from the FoI Act. SERAP, however, argues that the NNPC must comply with the Nigerian Constitution and the Freedom of Information Act, along with international human rights and anti-corruption standards, in exercising its statutory functions.
In the suit, SERAP emphasizes that the missing funds have significantly contributed to Nigeria’s economic instability, including the country’s high deficit spending and crippling debt crisis. The organisation argues that the NNPC’s failure to remit these funds has worsened an already precarious economic situation.
SERAP also stresses that the missing oil revenues reflect a broader failure in NNPC’s accountability and transparency. The organisation highlights that the company’s continuing disregard for these principles damages the country’s economic well-being and governance systems.
