Former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has returned to national headlines following his conviction and 75-year jail sentence over corruption linked to major electricity projects in Nigeria.
Mamman, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was found guilty by the Federal High Court in Abuja after being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Early life and education
Born on January 2, 1958, Mamman hails from Taraba State. He obtained a Higher National Diploma in Electrical Electronics Engineering from Kaduna Polytechnic in 1988 and later earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Bayero University Kano in 2015.
He began his career in 1981 as a teacher at a technical school in Mubi, Adamawa State, before transferring his service to Taraba State in 1992. Mamman rose through the civil service to the rank of Assistant Director in the state Ministry of Works before retiring in 2002.
After retirement, he ventured into business and politics, eventually emerging as a federal cabinet member.
Appointment as Power Minister
Mamman was sworn in as Minister of Power on August 21, 2019, after nomination and Senate confirmation during Buhari’s administration. He supervised Nigeria’s electricity sector and major hydroelectric initiatives, including the Zungeru and Mambilla power projects.
However, his tenure ended abruptly in September 2021 when Buhari dissolved part of his cabinet and replaced him with Abubakar Aliyu.
Corruption conviction and sentencing
Trouble began after investigations by the EFCC linked Mamman to alleged diversion of funds earmarked for critical power infrastructure.
According to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, Mamman went underground after his conviction on May 7, 2026.
Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho held that prosecutors proved beyond reasonable doubt that the former minister and his associates diverted at least N22 billion meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric projects.
The court ruled that proxy companies and associates were used to siphon public funds, describing the act as a gross abuse of public trust.
Mamman was convicted on all 12 counts bordering on corruption and sentenced to cumulative jail terms running consecutively, bringing the total imprisonment to 75 years — one of the rarest and longest corruption sentences handed to a former Nigerian cabinet minister.
Arrest after weeks on the run
Following the judgment, the court ordered his arrest after he failed to appear for sentencing. EFCC operatives eventually arrested him in the early hours of May 19, 2026, in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State after weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering.
The anti-graft agency said arrangements were underway to transfer him to a correctional facility to begin serving his sentence.
Additional corruption case
Apart from the conviction, Mamman is also facing another trial before the Federal Capital Territory High Court over an alleged N31 billion fraud.
Justice Maryanne Anenih had earlier issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in court alongside seven other defendants in the separate case.
The conviction marks a significant development in Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign, as authorities intensify efforts to ensure accountability among former public office holders.
