Local contractors under the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria on Tuesday paralysed activities at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, blocking both entrances as they demanded the settlement of what they described as long-overdue payments for completed government projects.
Led by the association’s National Secretary, Babatunde Seun-Oyeniyi, the contractors accused the Federal Government of repeatedly shifting its stance on the debt issue and failing to honour commitments made during earlier engagements.
Speaking to journalists at the ministry’s gate, Oyeniyi said the government’s refusal to release funds despite multiple assurances had forced contractors back to the streets. According to him, members of the association are owed more than N500bn for completed and even commissioned projects.
He noted that despite recent assurances from the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, no payment had been made.
“After the National Assembly intervened, they told us they would sit the minister down over this matter. And we immediately stopped the protest,” he recalled.
However, he said follow-up visits had yielded no meaningful progress.
“They have not responded to our request. More than six times we have come here. Last week, we were here throughout the night before the Minister of Finance came.”
Oyeniyi added that contractors were confused by the persistent delay even after the minister reportedly stated that about N150bn was available for payment.
“From the last conversation, he told us he had up to N150bn to pay all indigenous contractors. We don’t understand why there is still a delay,” he said.
He further alleged that officials were attempting to push the payments into the next fiscal year.
“They want to move us into a backlog, to shift us to 2026. They will turn us into debt, and we don’t want that. We won’t leave here until we are paid,” he vowed.
The contractors also claimed that Edun had referred them back to the National Assembly, which had earlier mediated in the dispute. The standoff left ministry staff and visitors stranded as the protesters sealed off both gates.
Demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as: “Banks no longer have confidence in sponsoring government projects,” “Many contractors have lost their lives through suicide,” “You are killing small businesses, pay what you owe,” and “Payment delay is fraud, not just injustice.” Some chanted, “Na our money we need o… Wale Edun pay us, Tinubu pay us.”
The protest is the latest escalation in a months-long dispute. In November, the House of Representatives suspended plenary for one week after contractors stormed the National Assembly Complex over the government’s alleged refusal to release funds budgeted for 2024 and 2025.
As of press time, the Ministry of Finance had yet to issue an official response to Tuesday’s demonstration.
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