Six days after he was remanded in custody, a former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on Thursday secured bail from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting at Gwarinpa, Abuja, over an alleged ₦2.2 billion contract fraud.

In a ruling delivered by Justice Maryam Hassan, the court adopted the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted Ngige by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

As part of the bail conditions, the former minister was ordered to produce a surety who must be a civil servant not below the rank of director and an owner of landed property within the FCT. The court also directed Ngige to surrender his international passport and barred him from travelling outside the country without prior permission.

Justice Hassan dismissed a preliminary objection filed by the EFCC opposing Ngige’s bail application, holding that the court had the discretion to grant bail, provided such discretion is exercised judicially and judiciously without imposing unreasonable or arbitrary conditions.

The case was subsequently adjourned to January 28 and 29, 2026, for trial.

Ngige, who served as Minister of Labour and Employment between November 11, 2015, and May 29, 2023, was arraigned on December 12 on an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office, contract fraud, and alleged receipt of kickbacks from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Although he pleaded not guilty to the charges, the court had ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.

The EFCC alleged that Ngige used his position to confer unfair advantage on companies linked to his associates by approving several NSITF consultancy, training, and supply contracts running into billions of naira.

Specifically, the prosecution accused him of approving seven contracts worth ₦366.47 million for Cezimo Nigeria Limited, eight contracts valued at ₦583.68 million for Zitacom Nigeria Limited, and another eight contracts worth ₦362.04 million for Jeff & Xris Limited. He was also accused of influencing four contracts worth ₦668.14 million in favour of Olde English Consolidated Limited and another four contracts valued at ₦161.6 million awarded through Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited.

The EFCC further alleged that between May and June 2022, Ngige corruptly received monetary gifts from NSITF contractors, including ₦38.65 million from Cezimo Nigeria Limited through his campaign organisation, ₦55 million from Zitacom Nigeria Limited via his scholarship scheme, and ₦26.13 million from Jeff & Xris Limited.

The prosecution, led by Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, urged the court to deny bail, arguing that Ngige was a flight risk and had violated a previous administrative bail by failing to return his passport after travelling abroad for medical treatment.

However, defence counsel Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, appealed for bail on constitutional and health grounds, insisting that the offences were bailable and did not attract capital punishment. He also argued that the defendant would not interfere with witnesses or evade trial.

Justice Hassan agreed to grant bail under strict conditions, pending the full trial of the case.