By SUNTV Global Channel | December 28, 2025
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a major lawsuit against Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over their alleged failure to account for an estimated ₦14 trillion in fuel subsidy savings received through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The suit, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos and marked FHC/L/MSC/1424/2025, seeks to compel the governors and the FCT minister to publicly disclose how the funds—generated from the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023—were spent.
According to SERAP, the lawsuit demands full details of projects executed with the subsidy savings, including their locations, nature, costs, and completion reports, if any.
Transparency Concerns Over Trillions Collected
SERAP said the legal action followed reports showing that states and the FCT have collectively received trillions of naira as fuel subsidy savings since mid-2023, yet Nigerians—especially the poor and vulnerable—have seen little or no improvement in access to quality healthcare, education, and other basic services.
In the suit, SERAP is asking the court to direct and compel the governors and Mr. Wike to disclose comprehensive spending records of the increased FAAC allocations arising from the subsidy removal.
“Nigerians have a constitutional right to know how public funds, including fuel subsidy savings, are being spent,” SERAP stated, adding that secrecy surrounding the funds raises serious concerns about mismanagement or diversion.
Rising Allocations, Worsening Poverty
The organisation revealed that FAAC distributed ₦28.78 trillion in 2024 from fuel subsidy removal to the three tiers of government—a 79 percent increase compared to the previous year. State governments alone reportedly received ₦5.22 trillion, representing a 45.5 percent rise, while monthly distributions in 2025 have exceeded ₦1.6 trillion.
Despite this surge in revenue, SERAP noted that millions of Nigerians continue to face worsening poverty, questioning how the subsidy savings have been utilised by state governments and the FCT administration.
Supreme Court Backs Public Right to Know
SERAP also cited a landmark Supreme Court judgment which affirmed that the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act applies to all public records across the federation, including state governments and the FCT.
“With this judgment, governors can no longer hide behind the false claim that the FOI Act does not apply to them,” the organisation said.
The suit was filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Oluwakemi Agunbiade and Valentina Adegoke. No hearing date has been fixed yet.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to follow developments in this landmark case as Nigerians demand accountability over one of the largest public fund inflows in recent history.
