Court Freezes NNPC Payments to Chinese Firm Over Alleged $117,000 Debt

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and commercial banks across the country to stop all payments to a Chinese firm, Beijing Seajets International Forwarder Company Ltd, over an alleged unpaid debt of $117,000.

The interim order was issued by Justice Stephen Daylop Pam following an ex parte application filed by Wellman Group Limited, which accused the Chinese company of failing to pay for maritime services involving tugboats and barges used for transporting heavy cargo between December 2025 and January 2026.

According to court documents, Wellman Group claimed that despite several demands and reminders, the company allegedly refused to settle the outstanding payment for the services rendered. The applicant therefore urged the court to prevent the release of any funds to the Chinese firm pending the determination of the case.

Justice Pam subsequently directed that all funds belonging to Beijing Seajets International Forwarder Company Ltd from NNPC Ltd. be temporarily frozen while the matter remains before the court. The judge also restrained all banks operating in Nigeria from processing or releasing money linked to the company until further hearings are conducted.

The court held that the temporary measures were necessary to preserve the subject of the litigation and prevent any possible movement or dissipation of funds before the final judgment is delivered. The matter has been adjourned until June 1, 2026, for further proceedings.

The development adds to a growing number of commercial and financial disputes involving foreign firms operating within Nigeria’s oil and maritime sectors, as courts increasingly move to protect contractual obligations and debt recovery claims.