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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
There was tension on Monday at the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja as protesting local contractors blocked the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, from gaining access to the complex.
The protesters, operating under the banner of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), shut the ministry gate to press home their demands over unpaid debts allegedly owed them by the Federal Government.
Trouble started when Uzoka-Anite arrived at the ministry and security operatives attempted to force a passage for her into the building. The move was stoutly resisted by the demonstrators, who insisted that no official would enter until their grievances were addressed.
The aggrieved contractors chanted slogans, including: “How many people government go kill ooo… how many people government go kill,” as the situation grew tense.
Amid the ensuing scuffle, a gunshot was reportedly fired as security personnel tried to disperse the crowd, further heightening anxiety around the premises.
The contractors accused the Federal Government of failing to pay for projects they had already executed, alleging that funds appropriated for the purpose in the 2024 and 2025 budgets had not been released.
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They also recalled that similar protests were staged last year at both the National Assembly Complex and the Federal Ministry of Finance over the same issue.
In December 2025, President Bola Tinubu constituted a multi-ministerial committee to address the mounting debts owed to federal contractors, estimated at about N1.5 trillion. Members of the committee include the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu; Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa; and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji.
A Senate committee had also invited Edun to explain the circumstances surrounding the prolonged delay in settling the contractors’ claims.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has earmarked N1.7 trillion in the 2026 Appropriation Bill to offset outstanding debts owed to contractors for capital projects executed in 2024.
Details of the proposed 2026 national budget indicate that the allocation falls under a line item titled “Provision for 2024 Outstanding Contractor’s Liabilities,” underscoring official acknowledgment of delayed payments following recent protests.
In addition, a separate sum of N100 billion has been budgeted under “Payment of Local Contractors’ Debts/Other Liabilities,” a provision expected to cover legacy debts, smaller contract claims, and other unsettled obligations from previous years.
