Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has rejected allegations of corruption linked to Nigeria’s arbitration victory in the long-running Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project dispute.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, Malami welcomed the International Chamber of Commerce tribunal’s ruling in Paris on September 16, 2026, which dismissed claims by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and ordered the firm and its promoter, Leno Adesanya, to reimburse Nigeria for legal costs.
While the tribunal reportedly made adverse findings about Malami’s handling of a settlement agreement with Sunrise, he insisted the proceedings were commercial arbitration, not a criminal trial.
“The award does not constitute a criminal conviction of him,” the statement clarified.Malami argued that the Sunrise dispute predated his tenure, tracing back to 2003 and involving successive administrations.
He said his role was limited to advising government on legal exposure and possible resolutions, noting that former President Muhammadu Buhari rejected a proposed $200m settlement in 2020 and 2021.
He further explained that he instructed government lawyers to resist Sunrise’s enforcement attempts after Buhari declined approval, stressing that he never received financial benefits from Sunrise or Adesanya.
Allegations of a corrupt arrangement, he said, should be tested against the full evidentiary record.Despite the controversy, Nigeria avoided potential liabilities of over $2.7bn.
President Bola Tinubu hailed the ruling as removing a major obstacle to the long-delayed project.
Malami said he was pleased Nigeria’s financial interests had been protected, adding that a fuller response to the tribunal’s findings would follow after reviewing the complete award.
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