A company linked to Nigerian gaming magnate, Kessington Adebutu (popularly known as Baba Ijebu), is set to face trial on May 16 over an alleged N50 million debt tied to the high-stakes concession of the National Stadium, Lagos.
GreenArps Project Limited, the defendant, is accused of defaulting on payment to a technical consortium that played a pivotal role in helping it clinch the stadium concession in 2023.
The consortium, led by Raji Rasaq Adeshina, claims it provided key expertise and services but was left unpaid.
The suit, filed in January and marked CV/57/2025, demands the immediate payment of the N50 million balance along with interest accrued since last year.
Despite several court appearances, progress stalled as GreenArps failed to file a defense and instead raised objections on jurisdiction.
In March, the claimant asked the court to move the case to the Undefended List, seeking an automatic judgment. But presiding judge, Justice Abdulraman Usman, opted for a Fast Track Procedure and set May 16 for full hearing.
Matters escalated after GreenArps appealed the court’s ruling and applied for a stay of proceedings. The move drew sharp criticism from the claimant’s lawyer, Austin Otah, who accused the company of using legal delay tactics to avoid justice.
“The defendant has not filed a single pleading, yet seeks to derail the process by frivolous motions,” Otah told the court. “This is a clear abuse of judicial time and procedure.”
The case comes as the stadium concession is reportedly scheduled for presentation to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), making the outcome of the trial potentially influential.
GreenArps, a firm reportedly under the control of Baba Ijebu, now faces mounting pressure to settle the dispute as public attention turns to the integrity of the bidding process and the role of technical partners behind major national assets.
Whether the court will compel payment or the appeal will succeed remains to be seen — but the May 16 hearing promises to be a turning point in this high-profile commercial showdown.
