The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian government to provide a detailed account of the spending of a $460m loan from China to fund the failed Abuja Closed-Circuit Television project. Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order while delivering judgment on a Freedom of Information suit, which was filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the government. In addition to the account of the spending of the loan, the government was ordered to publish the details of the Chinese and local companies and contractors involved in the project and the status of its implementation.
SERAP filed the court action after Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, disclosed in 2019 that Nigeria was servicing the loan while she had no information regarding the project’s status. In his judgment, Justice Nwite held that SERAP had a reasonable cause of action against the government, noting that the accountability of the spending of the loan was in the public’s interest. The judge also directed the government to clarify whether the sum of N1.5bn allegedly paid for the contract meant to construct the headquarters of the Code of Conduct Bureau also came from another loan obtained from China.
SERAP’s core objectives are to promote human rights, transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption in Nigeria. The judgment is expected to further promote transparency and accountability in the country’s financial management, particularly in securing loans from China and other countries to fund government projects.
