Nigeria Wins $2.35bn Arbitration Case Against Sunrise Power Over Mambilla Project
Nigeria has secured a major legal victory in the long-running dispute over the Mambilla Hydropower Project, after an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) tribunal in Paris ruled in favour of the Federal Government in a $2.35 billion claim brought by Sunrise Power.
The award, issued on Thursday, September 17, 2026, dismissed Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited’s claims that Nigeria breached its contractual obligations under a settlement agreement and its subsequent addendum.
The tribunal also rejected Sunrise Power’s demand for $400 million, comprising a $200 million settlement sum and another $200 million claimed as a default payment.
In addition, the three-member tribunal ordered Sunrise Power and its promoter, Leno Adesanya, to reimburse Nigeria about $11.82 million in legal fees and expenses incurred during the arbitration. The amount represents 75 per cent of Nigeria’s legal costs.
The tribunal further ruled that Adesanya is bound by the arbitration agreement with Nigeria under the settlement agreement and addendum and affirmed its jurisdiction over Nigeria’s counterclaim against him and his firm.
The dispute dates back to 2003, when Sunrise Power claimed it had secured a $6 billion Build, Operate and Transfer contract to construct the 3,050-megawatt Mambilla Hydropower Project in Taraba State. Sunrise subsequently commenced arbitration against Nigeria in 2017, seeking about $2.354 billion over an alleged breach of the agreement.
The dispute was complicated by a 2020 settlement agreement under which the Federal Government was to pay Sunrise $200 million. The settlement later became the subject of another arbitration after the payment was not made.
During the January 2025 ICC proceedings in Paris, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari were among Nigerian witnesses who addressed the tribunal.
Obasanjo maintained that he had not authorised the alleged 2003 contract, while Buhari had also disputed authorisation of the subsequent settlement arrangement.
Nigeria’s legal team in the arbitration was led by Elizabeth Oger-Gross and Tolu Obamuroh of Paul Hastings LLP.
The ruling brings a major stage of the protracted Mambilla arbitration to a close, with Nigeria avoiding the $2.35 billion compensation claim pursued by Sunrise Power.
