N136bn Ground Rent: Niger Govt Drags Three Hydro Power Stations to Court

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger state government has taken three Hydro Power Stations – Shiroro, Kainji and Jebba to court demanding the payment of over N136 billion accumulated ground rent. The rent was said to have accumulated between 2017 and 2022.

The suit was filed at a Minna Federal  High Court on behalf of the government by the Niger State  Board of Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The defendants in the suit are North-South Power Company Ltd, Kainji Hydro Electric Plc, and Mainstream Energy Solutions.

Joined in the suit are the Federal Ministry of power and the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO).

In  the statement of claim, the state government is demanding the payment of  N111, 725, 207, 100 ground rent from Kainji Hydro electric Plc ,and N21, 970, 920, 100 from Shiroro Hydro Electric Plc.

It also prayed the court for “an order directing the defendants to pay to the plaintiff an interest on the judgement sum at the rate of 10 per cent per annum till the money is liquidated”, in addition to asking the court to order the defendants to pay the cost of litigation as may be assessed.

Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Dan-Ige has therefore adjourned the matter to February 19, 2024 to enable service on the defendants.

Governor Mohammad Bago had recently threatened to drag the institutions and others to court for their failure to pay taxes and other levies.