Indigenous contractors in Nigeria have once again taken their grievances to the streets, staging a peaceful demonstration at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja over the non-payment of debts for completed projects.
Mounting Debts and Broken Promises
Under the banner of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), the protesters gathered on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. They expressed deep frustration with the federal government's failure to settle outstanding payments, which they claim now exceed a staggering ₦500 billion. The National Secretary of AICAN, Babatunde Seun-Oyeniyi, led the demonstration and voiced the group's collective disappointment.
Seun-Oyeniyi revealed that despite multiple meetings and assurances from top officials, the government has consistently failed to honor its commitments. He specifically cited the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who had promised payment weeks earlier but had not followed through. Instead, the contractors were referred back to the National Assembly, which had previously intervened in the dispute.
A Story of Delays and Economic Strangulation
The contractors detailed a cycle of unfulfilled promises. Following an intervention by the National Assembly, they suspended an earlier protest and entered into dialogue with the Finance Minister. "He told us that he has ₦150 billion at the moment to pay us and that what they are owing us is very little; therefore we will be paid," Seun-Oyeniyi explained. "Unfortunately, we have been here more than six times, but he hasn’t paid us."
Another member of the association, Innocent Anslem, highlighted the critical economic role played by indigenous contractors. He stated that AICAN is one of Nigeria's major employers of labour, and starving it of funds is detrimental to national development. In a bold claim, Anslem asserted, "The 2024 budget, the popular Renewed Hope Budget, was funded 100 per cent by members of our association. The government of the day only passed the budget, but not a single dime was used to fund it."
He lamented the severe human and financial cost of the delayed payments: "This lack of payment has brought a lot of poverty to our people. We have lost members, and we have lost virtually everything we have in terms of the investment we have made in the budget, and bank interests keep running every day."
Protest Halts Ministry Activities
The protest caused significant disruption at the ministry, as both entrances were blocked by the aggrieved contractors. Staff and visitors were unable to enter or exit the premises during the demonstration. The protesters carried placards with powerful messages that painted a grim picture of the situation:
- "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"
Their frustration was also expressed in song, with chants of "Na our money we need o he, we don’t need anything, Wale Edun pay us, Tinubu pay us" echoing at the ministry gates. The contractors insist they will continue their peaceful protests until the federal government takes concrete action to settle the monumental debt owed to them.
