A tense standoff at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday, January 19, 2026, saw protesting indigenous contractors physically block the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka Anite, from entering her office complex. The demonstration turned volatile when a gunshot was heard as security personnel attempted to disperse the crowd.
Contractors Barricade Gates Over Unpaid Debts
The protesters, who are members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria, barricaded the main entrance to the ministry. Their core grievance is the federal government's failure to pay for projects they have already completed. The group claims that repeated appeals for the settlement of these debts, which they estimate at a staggering N1.5 trillion, have been ignored by the authorities.
When Minister Uzoka Anite arrived at the premises, security operatives tried to force a path for her vehicle. The contractors resisted this move, standing their ground at the gate while chanting protest songs. One poignant chant captured during the confrontation was: “How many people government go kill ooo… how many people government go kill.”
Confrontation Escalates with Gunshot
The situation escalated rapidly as security forces sought to clear the protesters. It was during this scuffle that a loud gunshot rang out, causing panic around the ministry's entrance. While the exact source of the gunfire was not immediately clarified, its occurrence marked a dangerous peak in the day's events.
The contractors allege that funds approved in the 2024 and 2025 national budgets for their payments have not been released. This protest is not an isolated incident; the association has staged similar demonstrations at the National Assembly and the Finance Ministry over the past year in a bid to resolve the protracted payment dispute.
Government's Response and Committee Formation
In response to the growing crisis, President Bola Tinubu had, in December 2025, constituted a high-powered multi-ministerial committee to address the problem of unpaid obligations to federal contractors. The committee includes prominent figures such as:
- Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
- Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning.
- Dave Umahi, Minister of Works.
- Ahmed Dangiwa, Minister of Housing and Urban Development.
- Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
The National Assembly has also stepped in, with a Senate committee recently summoning Finance Minister Wale Edun to provide explanations for the delayed payments. Despite these high-level interventions, the contractors' patience has evidently run out, leading to the direct and disruptive action witnessed in Abuja.
The protest underscores a deep-seated financial strain within Nigeria's public contracting system and highlights the urgent need for the government to fulfill its financial commitments to local businesses that have executed developmental projects.
