By Muhammad Mamman
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over their alleged failure to account for an estimated ₦14 trillion reportedly saved following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, SERAP confirmed that the legal action was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja. The organisation is seeking an order compelling all 36 state governors and the FCT Minister to publish detailed spending records of the funds that accrued to their states from June 2023, when the subsidy was scrapped.
SERAP argues that transparency is essential in ensuring that the savings are deployed to improve public services, reduce poverty, and mitigate the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
The group noted that despite repeated demands, state governments and the FCT Administration have not provided any credible breakdown of how the subsidy savings were utilised.
“State authorities cannot continue to operate in secrecy while millions of Nigerians struggle with the economic consequences of subsidy removal. Public funds must be accounted for,” the organisation said.
SERAP is also asking the court to direct the governors and Wike to allow public access to documents detailing receipts from the Federation Account and specific projects funded with the subsidy savings.
Most of the governors and the FCT Minister have yet to respond to the lawsuit as of the time of filing this report.
