A debt dispute has escalated between construction giant Dantata & Sawoe and Zutari Consulting Nigeria Ltd, an engineering consultancy firm. Zutari Consulting Nigeria Ltd is accusing Dantata & Sawoe of refusing to sign a $1.4 million settlement agreement related to past work on the Dangote Fertilizer Plant in Lekki, Lagos.

The legal fallout stems from an earlier arbitration ruling in London, which found Dantata & Sawoe liable for an outstanding payment of over $1.25 million owed to Zutari Consulting for subcontract work on the major industrial project.

At a Federal High Court sitting on Thursday, Zutari’s lawyer, Chris Ekemezie, told Justice G. Umar that despite several efforts and concessions, Dantata & Sawoe had not fulfilled their end of the bargain. 

“We even agreed to a 25% waiver just to encourage payment and move on,” Ekemezie said. “But they’ve refused to sign their own proposed terms of settlement.”

The matter, which has dragged on since 2021, has seen several adjournments and attempts at out-of-court resolution. At one point, a winding-up petition against Dantata & Sawoe was approved for publication, signaling just how serious the situation had become. 

The legal team representing Zutari had asked the court to appoint a provisional liquidator, citing the company’s inability or unwillingness to pay the arbitral award.

While Dantata’s lawyers admit that payment has not been made, they argue that the settlement process is still ongoing. Their counsel, Ofem Obeten, confirmed that his client had failed to remit payment before the end of May 2025 but insisted that talks had not broken down completely.

“We’re still in talks. The agreement was sent directly to Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), who has been representing us,” Obeten noted, also pointing out that the matter is under appeal at the Court of Appeal and that the question of jurisdiction still stands.

However, the presiding judge did not hide his frustration.

 “What is your problem in making the payment?” he asked pointedly during the hearing.

Zutari’s counsel countered that previous objections by Dantata & Sawoe had already been dismissed and accused the company of using delay tactics. “They’ve been indulged time and time again,” he said. “Now we are seeking the court’s intervention because we can’t keep waiting.”

The judge adjourned the case to July 7, 2025, for further hearing or report of settlement potentially one of the last windows for the companies to resolve the issue without harsher court-ordered consequences.

What to Know

• The $1.4 million debt stems from engineering consulting work done by Zutari on the Dangote Fertilizer Plant.
• The original award was granted by a tribunal in London in April 2021.
• Dantata & Sawoe has acknowledged the debt but has not fulfilled payment obligations.
• The court has previously allowed time for settlement, but patience appears to be wearing thin.