The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to “promptly account for the missing N18.6bn meant for the construction of the National Assembly Commission Office Complex, as documented in the latest 2022 annual report by the Auditor-General of the Federation.”

SERAP urged Akpabio and Abbas “to disclose the name of the alleged ‘fictitious construction company’ that reportedly collected N18.6bn for the construction of the National Assembly Commission Office Complex, including the names and details of the directors, shareholders and the company’s address.”

SERAP also urged Akpabio and Abbas “to explain the failure to follow the Procurement Act, including the failure to carry out any needs assessment before the award of the contract, to advertise the bidding, to issue a contract agreement, and to issue bidders’ quotations before the construction company was paid N18.6 billion’”

SERAP urged Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas “to explain the rationale for the ‘inflation of the contract by N6.9 billion for the conversion of the roof garden to office space’, and why no approval was obtained for the upward review of the contract, and to disclose the implementation status of the project.”

The grave allegations are documented in the latest 2022 annual report published by the Auditor-General of the Federation on 9 September 2025.

In the letter dated 18 October, 2025 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “These grim allegations by the Auditor-General suggest grave violations of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and national and international anticorruption obligations.”

According to SERAP, “The National Assembly can only effectively perform its oversight and anti-corruption roles if it can demonstrate exemplary leadership to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement involving the NASS commission.”

“The National Assembly ought to live up to its constitutional responsibilities by upholding and defending the basic principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law,” SERAP further said.

The letter reads in part: “Addressing the allegations would improve public confidence and trust in the ability of the National Assembly to exercise their constitutional and oversight responsibilities, and to adhere to the highest standards of integrity, transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.

“It would also show that the National Assembly is acting in the best interest of the people, and not for personal interest.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you, the National Assembly and the National Assembly Service Commission to comply with our request in the public interest.

“According to the recently published 2022 audited report by the Auditor General of the Federation, the National Assembly Service Commission paid over N11.6 billion [N11,647,302,594,00] to ‘an unknown construction company’ for ‘the construction the Commission’s Complex within 24 months.’

“The payment was reportedly made on 11 August 2020. But ‘the contract was inflated by over N6.9 billion [N6,930,000.000.00]’ and the money was reportedly paid to the construction company on 29 November 2023’ ‘for the conversion of the roof garden to office space.’

“The contract was reportedly awarded without a Bill of Quantity (BOQ) for the upward of the contract, and the ‘BOQ for the contract of N11.6 billion was not priced.’

“Both contracts were reportedly awarded without any needs assessment, newspaper advertisements, bidding process, contract agreement, bidders’ quotations and without any approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). There was also no ‘Bureau of Public Procurement’s Certificate of ‘No Objection’.’

“The Auditor-General fears the N18.6 billion of public funds budgeted for ‘the construction of the Commission’s Office Complex and the conversion of the roof garden to office space’ may be missing. He wants the money accounted for.

“SERAP is concerned that the money may have been misappropriated, diverted or stolen. These grave violations reflect the continuing failure of the National Assembly and its commission to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability.

“Explaining the whereabouts of the missing public funds, publishing the details of the construction company which collected the money and ensuring the prosecution of the perpetrators and the recovery of any missing public funds would serve the public interest.

“Poor and vulnerable Nigerians continue to bear the heavy economic and social costs of corruption. Corruption exposes them to additional costs to pay for health, education and administrative services.

“Corruption traps the majority of Nigerians in poverty and deprives them of opportunities. The National Assembly therefore has a responsibility to curb it.

“Allegations of corruption continue to undermine economic development, violate social justice, and destroy trust in economic, social, and political institutions, as well as lead to deficient public services.

“Nigerians have the right to know the whereabouts of the public funds and details of the construction company. Taking the recommended measures would advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and guarantee of non-repetition.

“SERAP notes that Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions including the National Assembly and its commission to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.

“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the National Assembly and its commission to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.

“Under Section 16(1)(a)(b), the National Assembly and its commission have the obligations to ‘harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, a dynamic and self-reliant economy’, and to ‘secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen.’

“Section 16(2) further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’

“Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources.

“Articles 5 and 9 of the UN Convention against Corruption also impose legal obligations on the National Assembly to ensure proper management of public affairs and public funds. These commitments ought to be fully upheld and respected.

“SERAP urges to refer these grave violations of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s national and international anticorruption obligations to appropriate anticorruption agencies for investigation and prosecution, as appropriate, and the recovery and remittance of the public funds into the treasury.”