Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Limited logo
By Victory Oghene
The Federal High Court in Abuja has appointed a liquidator to oversee the winding up of Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Limited over an unpaid $1.4 million debt.
The court’s action stems from the company’s failure to settle a debt owed to Zutari Consulting Nigeria Ltd, which provided subcontracting services for the Dangote Fertilizer Plant project in Lekki, Lagos. The total sum, $1,257,592.83, was confirmed in a settlement agreement and subsequent arbitral award.
Justice Mohammed Umar, who granted Zutari Consulting’s petition, criticized Dantata & Sawoe for repeatedly missing deadlines despite multiple opportunities to pay.
“The respondent has been given ample time by the court to settle the debt but continues to return with excuses,” he noted.
Months before the appointment, the court approved a public notice in national dailies, signaling the company’s potential winding-up. This follows extended negotiations and adjournments stretching back to September 2024, when the court allowed a 30-day settlement extension.
According to Chris Ekemezie, lawyer for Zutari Consulting, the dispute originated in 2015 when Zutari was engaged to execute design components of Dantata & Sawoe’s subcontract work.
After completing the project, Dantata & Sawoe allegedly failed to pay, prompting the matter to be arbitrated in London under the International Chamber of Commerce.
The tribunal ruled in Zutari Consulting’s favor in April 2021.
Ekemezie told the court: “The respondent’s debt is not limited to dollars alone; it includes ZAR 2,136,623.39 and £4,364.38. Despite repeated requests, payment has not been made in full.”
Dantata & Sawoe’s lawyer, I. I. Okim, argued that the company offered to pay 75% of the debt, an offer reportedly rejected by Zutari Consulting. However, Justice Umar ruled that partial payment was insufficient, citing the company’s continued unwillingness to honor its obligations.
The court has now appointed Joseph Abiolu, FCA, as the official liquidator, in accordance with Sections 571(d), 572, and 573(1)(b) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020. The matter is adjourned to February 18, 2026, for the liquidator’s report.
Zutari Consulting specializes in engineering design, consulting, and supervision, while Dantata & Sawoe is a general construction firm. This case marks a significant enforcement of arbitration awards and debt recovery in Nigeria’s construction sector.
