As the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, a venture conceived in 1972, reaches the pivotal stage of its arbitration at the International Court of Arbitration in Paris, Nigeria faces a storm of legal entanglements, political scandals, and international embarrassment.
The ongoing case pits the Federal Government of Nigeria against Sunrise Power and Transmission Company in a high-stakes battle over a 3,050 MW power project meant to energize the nation but instead bogged down by decades of policy missteps and questionable dealings.
The drama intensifies as key defense witnesses, including former Attorney General Abubakar Malami and ex-Minister of Power Mamman Salleh, refuse to testify, casting shadows over the government’s defense. Meanwhile, the controversial testimonies of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari promise to lay bare decades of administrative lapses and corruption.
Obasanjo’s day-long cross-examination is set to unravel the tangled history of procurement manipulations, BOT contract cancellations, and allegations of institutional rot dating back to his tenure. Buhari, on the other hand, will face tough questions about the re-award of contracts and failed settlements that have cost Nigeria millions in arbitration proceedings.
For over half a century, the Mambilla project has remained a symbol of Nigeria’s inability to harness its resources effectively.
Despite the potential to generate significant power for the nation’s struggling grid, the project remains trapped in bureaucratic delays, inflated costs, and international litigation.
The arbitration, expected to conclude by early 2025, may deliver a verdict but promises no resolution. Both sides are prepared for protracted appeals, which will likely stall the project for another six years, compounding the woes of Nigeria’s 240 million citizens grappling with inadequate electricity supply.
While President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration shows some promise of reform, experts warn that unless systemic corruption and policy inconsistencies are addressed, Mambilla’s story will remain a cautionary tale for generations.
For now, the Paris proceedings serve as a painful reminder of what happens when vision and governance fail to align, leaving Nigeria’s dream of power generation flickering like an unstable grid.