Court Sentences Former Power Minister Saleh Mamman to 75 Years Over ₦33.8bn Fraud

By Ene Rebecca 
May 13, 2026

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment after convicting him on charges linked to the diversion and laundering of about ₦33.8 billion meant for major hydroelectric power projects in Nigeria.

The judgment was delivered by Justice James Omotosho following a prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The court found Mamman guilty on all 12 counts bordering on conspiracy, corruption, and money laundering connected to the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric projects.

According to court proceedings, the former minister, who served between 2019 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was accused of diverting public funds through officials, private companies, and Bureau de Change operators. Prosecutors told the court that the funds were converted into foreign currencies and transferred through various channels.

Justice Omotosho ordered that the sentences imposed on the individual counts should run consecutively, resulting in a cumulative 75-year jail term. The judge also ruled that the sentence would commence from the date of Mamman’s arrest, noting that the former minister was sentenced in absentia after failing to appear in court.

The court further directed security agencies to arrest the former minister wherever he is found. In addition, the judge ordered the forfeiture of funds and properties recovered during investigations to the Federal Government and directed that outstanding sums linked to the alleged fraud be refunded.

The EFCC had presented witnesses and documentary evidence during the trial to support its case. The court held that the prosecution had proved the allegations beyond reasonable doubt before handing down the sentence.

The conviction is regarded as one of the most significant anti-corruption rulings involving a former cabinet member in recent years, as Nigerian anti-graft agencies continue efforts to prosecute alleged misuse of public funds by former government officials.