An International Arbitration Tribunal under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris has ruled in favour of Nigeria, rejecting claims by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd (Sunrise) with a combined value of about $3.38 billion in disputes linked to the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu disclosed the development in a statement on Thursday, September 17, 2026, following the issuance of the tribunal’s award.
The claims comprised a $680 million demand for a settlement sum and interest and a separate claim of more than $2.7 billion in compensation and interest relating to disputes over the development of the Mambilla project.
The two related claims represented a potential financial exposure of more than $3.38 billion for Nigeria.
President Tinubu said the ruling reinforces the Nigerian government’s position that it will defend the country against claims it considers detrimental to the national interest, while maintaining that Nigeria remains committed to working with legitimate investors and meeting its legal obligations.
Tinubu also credited members of Nigeria’s legal and government teams, including Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, the Federal Ministry of Justice and Nigeria’s external defence counsel, Elizabeth Oger-Gross and Tolu Obamuroh of Paul Hastings LLP.
The President also acknowledged former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who testified in the arbitration, as well as former Ministers of Power Babatunde Fashola and Suleiman Adamu and other witnesses and experts involved in Nigeria’s defence.
The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project has been in development for decades and has been the subject of contractual, financial and legal disputes.
A settlement was later negotiated under which Nigeria agreed to pay Sunrise $200 million. The agreement also provided for a 10% penalty in the event of default. Sunrise later filed another $400 million claim related to the settlement, which rose to about $680 million with interest.
In September 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the EFCC to remove Sunrise promoter Leno Adesanya from its wanted list in connection with allegations linked to the Mambilla project. However, the Court of Appeal later stayed execution of that judgment pending the determination of the Federal Government’s appeal.
The Mambilla ruling adds to a series of major legal victories Nigeria has recorded in recent years in disputes involving substantial financial claims.
More recently, in February 2026, Nigeria won an arbitration dispute against European Dynamics UK Ltd over a national electronic government procurement project. The tribunal dismissed all of the company’s claims, which totalled about $6.2 million, according to the Attorney-General’s office.
