Abuja Contractors Protest Over Unpaid Projects, Urge Tinubu to Intervene
A group of aggrieved contractors under the banner of Concerned Local Contractors staged a peaceful protest in Abuja on Monday, decrying the Federal Government’s failure to pay them for completed projects since January 2025. The protest took place at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Finance, with contractors demanding immediate intervention from President Bola Tinubu.
The protesters carried placards with bold messages such as “We delivered our projects, now pay us money” and “Central payment system by OAGF and FMF has failed woefully. Revert back to the former system,” highlighting their frustration with the current centralized payment process.
Speaking to reporters, Desmond Ibe, the spokesperson for the group, explained that the contractors had not received a single payment for over six months despite fulfilling their obligations. He described the current financial situation as unbearable, especially in light of Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions and security concerns.
“We’re calling on Mr President to please help us talk to these people to pay us our money,” Ibe pleaded. “It has been too long — about six months now and still counting — and we have been expecting payments.”
Ibe criticized the central payment system coordinated by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF), calling it slow and inefficient. He argued that the payment process should revert to the previous method, which allowed for quicker disbursement of funds.
The protesters also pointed out that the poor implementation of the 2025 national budget — which they claimed stands at only 35 percent — is partly due to unpaid contractors. Many of them, they said, are facing serious financial distress, unable to meet family needs or settle loans tied to their completed projects.
The group appealed to President Tinubu to grant the Ministry of Finance more autonomy in processing contractor payments, which they believe would speed up disbursements and save their businesses from collapse.
As the protest continued peacefully, the contractors maintained that they were not just fighting for their pay but also for the survival of small and medium enterprises that rely on government contracts. Their demand is simple: they did the work — now they want to be paid.
