By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Nigeria, 14 May 2026 - A former Nigerian minister once tasked with fixing the country’s struggling electricity sector has been sentenced to 75 years in prison after being found guilty of laundering billions of shillings linked to government power projects.
Saleh Mamman, Nigeria’s former power minister, was convicted over the laundering of 33.8 billion naira ($24.7 million), in what is being seen as one of the country’s rare high-profile corruption convictions against a senior government official.
The 68-year-old was found guilty of 12 charges, including using private companies to move money connected to state-funded power plant projects.
According to Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mamman disappeared shortly after his conviction and was sentenced in absentia.
The agency said the former minister has been “out of circulation” and “without trace” since the court ruling.
A high court in Abuja has already issued a warrant for his arrest.
Mamman served as power minister between 2015 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, whose administration had publicly pledged to fight corruption and improve electricity supply across the country.
Ironically, his conviction has reopened public frustration over Nigeria’s long-running power shortages, with many citizens accusing political leaders of profiting while ordinary people continue to suffer frequent blackouts.
Despite being one of Africa’s largest energy producers, Nigeria still struggles with unstable electricity supply, forcing many homes and businesses to rely on expensive fuel-powered generators.
The situation has worsened in recent years as fuel prices continue to rise.
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The court also ordered Mamman to repay 22 billion naira ($16 million) linked to the case.
Even with the corruption case hanging over him, Mamman had recently declared his interest in contesting for governor of Taraba State in the 2027 elections under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
“Today marks a defining moment in my journey of service to our dear state,” Mamman wrote on social media weeks before his sentencing.
“With a deep sense of responsibility and unwavering commitment, I have officially obtained the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms under the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for the governorship of Taraba State.”
Mamman was eventually dismissed from cabinet during a reshuffle ordered by Buhari following what the former president described as an “independent and critical self-review”.
His conviction is part of a broader anti-corruption crackdown by the EFCC targeting former senior officials.
Other prominent figures under investigation include former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami and former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq, both of whom have denied wrongdoing.