Barely 24 hours after the Abia State Government announced a favourable arbitral award in the dispute over the Enyimba Economic City (EEC) project, the Center for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) has called for a comprehensive audit of the state’s public-private partnership (PPP) agreements and the public release of the full judgement.
The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), in a press statement signed by its Executive Director, Okoye Chuka Peter, on Tuesday, commended the administration of Governor Alex Otti for successfully defending the state against what it described as “substantial monetary claims” reportedly running into “tens or hundreds of millions of United States dollars.”
While acknowledging that avoiding such a massive liability is a “significant protection of public finances,” CEHRAWS has raised critical governance questions regarding the origins of the 2017 agreement and the path forward, demanding transparency and institutional reforms.
Questions Over Due Diligence
The dispute arose from a 2017 Public Private Partnership Agreement (PPPA) between the state government and the project promoters, Enyimba Industrial Development Company Limited and Crown Realties Plc.
The arbitral tribunal not only rejected the promoters’ claims but also ordered them to refund ₦400 million to the state, which the tribunal described as “money had and received for no consideration.”
However, CEHRAWS has seized on the ruling to probe the circumstances under which the initial agreement was signed.
The group is questioning what due diligence processes were undertaken before committing public funds, whether feasibility studies were independently verified, and if the agreement complied with extant procurement, PPP, and fiscal responsibility laws at the time.
Furthermore, it has raised the issue of whether the Abia State House of Assembly was properly engaged in oversight, consistent with constitutional appropriation powers.
CEHRAWS stressed that while the tribunal found the promoters in fundamental breach, the citizens of Abia are entitled to know whether “institutional safeguards were weak at inception and how similar vulnerabilities will be prevented going forward.”
From ‘Award Granted’ to ‘Funds Recovered’
The organisation also shifted focus to the practical enforcement of the award, particularly the recovery of the ₦400 million.
It noted that an arbitral award is not self-executing and demanded clarity on the next steps.
Key questions posed by the group include whether enforcement has commenced, what timeline exists for the actual recovery of the funds, and if accrued interest will be pursued.
It also asked what enforcement mechanisms are in place should the promoters resist compliance, urging the government to shift its public communication from “award granted” to “funds recovered.”
Call for Transparency and the P&ID Lesson
Drawing a parallel with the infamous Process & Industrial Developments (P&ID) arbitration against Nigeria, CEHRAWS warned that the lesson from that national embarrassment was not merely that a bad award can be overturned, but that “contracts must be properly structured, vetted, and supervised from inception.”
To this end, the group has made a series of demands aimed at fostering open governance. In the spirit of open governance and fiscal accountability, CEHRAWS is calling for the full arbitral award to be published for public scrutiny, subject to legitimate confidentiality constraints. It is also demanding transparency on the total legal costs incurred by Abia State in defending the arbitration, including the cost of any external counsel retained.
“Transparency strengthens confidence. Selective disclosure weakens it,” the statement added.
Blueprint for Institutional Reform
Beyond the immediate case, CEHRAWS has proposed a sweeping review of the state’s contractual processes. Its recommendations include a comprehensive audit of all existing PPP agreements entered into by Abia State. It is also advocating for the strengthening of legal vetting mechanisms within the Ministry of Justice and a legislative review of PPP oversight frameworks to ensure compliance with constitutional appropriation and procurement safeguards. Finally, it proposes the mandatory public disclosure of major PPP agreements that exceed a specified financial threshold.
Public Interest Foremost
The group concluded by reaffirming its support for lawful investment and industrialisation but insisted that due process must not be sacrificed in the name of development.
“Industrial development remains critical to Abia’s economic future. However, development without due process becomes fiscal exposure. Partnerships without transparency become public risk,” the statement read. “True victory lies not merely in winning disputes, but in building institutions that prevent avoidable disputes in the first place.”
CEHRAWS stated it would continue to monitor the enforcement of the refund order and the strengthening of PPP governance frameworks in the state.
