P&ID: Emefiele excited as London court orders refund of Nigeria’s $200m

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele has expressed excitement over the London Commercial Court’s release of Nigeria’s $200m earlier used as guarantee Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) case.

Emefiele said Nigeria’s Foreign Reserves received a $200m boost on Tuesday, following the order of the London Commercial court, instructing the release of the $200million guarantee put in place as security for the stay of execution granted Nigeria for the appeal filed against the judgment of Justice Butcher for the execution of the Arbitral award of $10b in favour of Messrs. P&ID.

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The Court presided over by Sir Ross Cranston rejected the request of P&ID to increase the security to $400 million and instead ordered cost of £70,000 against P&ID.

It would be recalled that same court, earlier in September 2020, had also granted another cost of £1.5Million against P&ID.

Commenting on the outcome in a statement, the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele expressed pleasure that the Court rejected the P&ID’s application to increase the guarantee, which he noted was clearly intended to be a diversionary tactic and entirely misconceived.

According to him, “Due to the substantial evidence of prima facie fraud established before the Court, we are pleased that the Judge has agreed to release the guarantee.”

“This release, which is an accretion into the reserves will further enhance the nation’s management of the exchange rate of its domestic currency, the Naira while ensuring monetary and price stability,” he added.

He said the Tuesday’s order is seen as a further and significant victory for Nigeria in its determination to overturn the $10 billion award procured through fraud and corruption by P&ID and former government officials.

Analysts are of the view that P&ID and its backers, Lismore Capital and VR Advisory, are increasingly fighting a lost battle, as they continue to resort to employing delay tactics, disseminating misleading claims, and taking every step to obstruct investigations across multiple jurisdictions.