ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu has welcomed a landmark ruling by an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration tribunal in Paris that dismissed claims brought against Nigeria by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd over the long-disputed Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.
The September 17, 2026 award represents a major legal victory for the Federal Government in a dispute that has been linked to the stalled 3,960-megawatt Mambilla hydroelectric project in Taraba State for more than two decades.
The three-member ICC tribunal rejected Sunrise Power’s core arguments that Nigeria had breached a 2020 settlement agreement and its addendum concerning an earlier dispute over a 2003 build-operate-transfer contract for a proposed 3,050MW hydropower plant.
The tribunal also dismissed the company’s demand for a combined settlement and default payment of $400 million.
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Rather than awarding damages to Sunrise Power, the tribunal ordered Sunrise and its promoter, Leno Adesanya, to reimburse Nigeria 75 percent of its legal costs.
The amount awarded to Nigeria was put at $11,819,506.51, with $2.5 million to be deducted from escrow and the remaining $9,319,506.51 payable directly, together with 10 percent annual interest.
The tribunal also fixed arbitration costs at $1,656,500, allocating 75 percent to Sunrise Power and Adesanya and 25 percent to Nigeria.
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The panel further held Adesanya personally bound by the arbitration agreement.
Tinubu: Ruling Removes Major Obstacle
Reacting to the decision, President Tinubu described the ruling as an affirmation of Nigeria’s determination to resist what he called “predatory and exploitative claims” against the country.
According to the President, Sunrise Power had sought $680 million as a settlement sum and interest in connection with another arbitration in which the company was claiming more than $2.7 billion in compensation and interest over disputes associated with the development of the Mambilla project.
“An International Arbitration Tribunal under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, today, September 17, 2026, issued an award in favour of our country, rejecting the claims in the arbitration instituted by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd,” Tinubu said.
He commended the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, and officials of the Federal Ministry of Justice for their role in the case.
The President also praised Nigeria’s defence team, led by Elizabeth Oger-Gross and Tolu Obamuroh of Paul Hastings LLP, for what he described as their professional defence of the country.
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Former Presidents, Ministers Testified
Tinubu also acknowledged the contributions of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who testified during proceedings in the case.
He further commended former Ministers Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and Suleiman Adamu, as well as other witnesses and experts who participated in the arbitration.
The President also acknowledged the support of the National Security Adviser and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which investigated aspects of the case.
Mambilla Project Gets Fresh Legal Clarity
The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, located in Taraba State, was conceived to generate up to 3,960MW of electricity and has been at the centre of prolonged contractual and legal disputes.
The controversy dates back to a 2003 build-operate-transfer arrangement for a proposed 3,050MW plant. The Federal Government has maintained that the original contract was not authorised by the Federal Executive Council.
Tinubu said the latest ICC ruling had removed a major legal obstacle that had held back the project.
“Today’s ICC ruling clears the single biggest legal hurdle that has paralysed the Mambilla hydro power project for years,” the President said.
He, however, stressed that Nigeria would remain open to legitimate investment while defending the country’s interests in disputes involving its public resources.
“I want to assure you that while our country remains committed to partnering with genuine investors and honouring its legal obligations, it will continue to defend all opportunistic claims instituted against our commonwealth strongly,” he said.
The ruling now marks a significant development in the long-running legal saga surrounding one of Nigeria’s most ambitious proposed power projects.
