An International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) tribunal in Paris has dismissed claims brought by AB Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and Leno Adesanya against the Federal Government of Nigeria over the long running Mambilla hydropower dispute.
The tribunal issued its final award on September 17, 2026, rejecting Sunrise’s claim that Nigeria breached a 2020 settlement agreement and subsequent addendum arising from an earlier arbitration.
According to TheCable, which reviewed the final award, the tribunal also rejected Sunrise’s US$400 million claim comprising a US$200 million settlement payment and a further US$200 million payment contemplated under the addendum.
The latest proceedings followed an ICC arbitration commenced by Sunrise in October 2017, in which it sought approximately US$2.354 billion from Nigeria over alleged breaches of a 2003 agreement for the development of the 3,050MW Mambilla hydroelectric project under a build-operate-transfer structure.
Nigeria and Sunrise reached a US$200 million settlement in 2020. The subsequent dispute over the settlement resulted in the second arbitration, in which Sunrise reportedly sought about US$680 million including interest.
The tribunal also determined that Adesanya was bound by the arbitration agreement and that it had jurisdiction over Nigeria’s counterclaim.
On costs, Sunrise and Adesanya were ordered to reimburse 75% of Nigeria’s legal fees and expenses, assessed at US$11.82 million. The award provides for US$2.5 million from funds held in escrow, with the balance of approximately US$9.32 million subject to 10% annual compounded interest. Arbitration costs of about US$1.66 million were allocated 75% to the claimants and 25% to Nigeria.
The proceedings involved counsel across several jurisdictions. For Nigeria, the arbitration record seen by Deals and Advisory Report, identifies White & Case LLP’s United Kingdom and France offices. ALP NG & Co was retained as Nigerian Counsel led by Olasupo Shasore, SAN and Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, FCIArb. The White & Case team included Tolu Obamuroh in London and Elizabeth Oger-Gross in Paris. Both lawyers subsequently joined Paul Hastings in 2026.
On the claimant side, the record identifies Clifford Chance’s Australian office and G Elias & Co in Lagos as counsel for Sunrise Power and Adesanya.
The ruling removes the arbitration dispute that had remained a significant legal impediment to efforts to progress the Mambilla project. President Bola Tinubu said the decision cleared what he described as the “single biggest legal hurdle” affecting the project.
The Mambilla project has since undergone changes in its proposed capacity and structure as the Federal Government has sought to revive the development in Taraba State, North East Nigeria.
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