*Say government may be prioritising political activities ahead of 2027
WorldStage– Operations were brought to a halt at the Federal Ministry of Finance on Tuesday as members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) blocked the main entrance to the complex in protest over the government’s failure to pay for completed capital projects.
The contractors, who occupied the premises throughout the day accused the Federal Government of neglecting its obligation to settle outstanding payments for 2024 capital projects, many of which were financed with borrowed funds.
According to AICAN, the Federal Government owed its members over ₦500 billion. The group noted that although the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, recently promised to pay the outstanding amounts, he had failed to do so and instead referred contractors to the National Assembly, which had earlier intervened in the matter.
Speaking to WorldStage Correspondent during the protest, the National President of the association, Jackson Ifeanyi Nwosu, said the contractors were left with no option but to return to the ministry after more than 20 previous visits yielded no results.
“We financed 2024 capital projects, and the budget has now been extended to December 2025. Yet the government has refused to pay contractors,” Nwansu said.
“Interests are accruing every day. They keep promising us, but none of the promises have been kept.”
He alleged that funds meant for settling contractors may have been diverted, claiming that the government may be prioritising political activities ahead of 2027.
Nwosu appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Finance to urgently intervene, warning that many contractors are facing severe financial strain as banks continued to charge interest on loans used to execute the projects.
The association vowed to sustain the protest until the government honours its outstanding payment obligations.
