The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government over “the alleged diversion, irregular expenditure and failure to account for over N78.8 billion in public funds involving the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) and the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO).”
The allegations are documented in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2024 Annual Report, published on 7 August 2026. According to the Auditor-General, the findings cover various periods between January 2023 and 31 December 2024, according to a statement by SERAP on Sunday.
In the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/42/26 filed last week at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “a declaration that the failure of the Nigerian government to account for over N78.8 billion in public funds allocated for federal cash-transfer and social-protection programmes is unlawful and a violation of Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.”
SERAP is seeking a declaration that “the government’s failure to ensure the lawful administration of public funds allocated for cash-transfer programmes intended to benefit vulnerable households undermines the enjoyment of the rights protected under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
SERAP, in the suit filed by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi, is also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the government from administering or disbursing cash-transfer and social-protection funds without adequate financial accountability, beneficiary verification, auditing and oversight mechanisms consistent with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that “the government has violated, and continues to violate, the rights to social security and an adequate standard of living, including food, clothing and housing, by failing to properly administer social-protection funds and ensure access to benefits intended to meet basic needs.”
SERAP is also arguing that “the failure to account for substantial public funds allocated for social protection, and to investigate and remedy deficiencies, undermines the socio-economic rights of millions of affected Nigerians.”
According to SERAP, “The funds were intended to benefit over 3.2 million households across 35 states, whose access to financial assistance has been affected by the allegations made by the Auditor-General.”
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