Ferrostaal AG

In 1995, German engineering company Ferrostaal AG allegedly paid approximately €179 million in bribes during the renegotiation of Nigeria's ALSCON aluminium smelter contract. This occurred during General Sani Abacha's military rule, when the government was restructuring the troubled aluminium project originally conceived in the 1980s. The alleged payments were part of efforts to secure favorable terms in what became one of Nigeria's most controversial industrial contracts of the decade.

The Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) had been established as a joint venture to develop Nigeria's aluminium industry, but faced financial difficulties and operational challenges throughout the early 1990s. Under Abacha's administration, the government sought to renegotiate existing contracts with foreign partners to revive the project. This period coincided with widespread allegations of corruption in major infrastructure deals, as military officials wielded significant discretionary power over contract awards and modifications without transparent oversight mechanisms.