An International Chamber of Commerce tribunal has accused Nigeria's former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, of acting against the country's interest in the long-running Mambilla power project dispute, according to TheCable.
The tribunal's findings, as reported by TheCable, centre on Malami's handling of the case brought by Sunrise Power. The ICIR reported that the tribunal traced how Malami shifted from describing the Mambilla claimant as a criminal to pressing for a settlement worth around $400 million.
Separately, Business News Nigeria reported that a $500,000 transfer to the former wife of Atiku Abubakar occurred before the Mambilla award was issued. The tribunal made that observation as part of its review of the case, according to the outlet.
The dispute has now spilled into Nigeria's political arena. Sahara Reporters reported that the APC Campaign Council has asked Atiku, a former vice president, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race over the $500,000 payment.
Punch Newspapers reported that Sunrise Power will review the ICC arbitration outcome on the Mambilla project, signalling that the company's next steps remain open.
The Mambilla project is a long-delayed hydropower scheme in Taraba State that has been the subject of protracted legal proceedings. The tribunal's criticism of Malami adds a new dimension to a case that has already drawn attention from both the courts and Nigeria's political class.
What to watch next: whether Sunrise Power proceeds with a review of the arbitration and how Nigerian authorities respond to the tribunal's findings.
