Federal contractors protest at ministry gate over unpaid N1.5 trillion, demanding government action on outstanding payments
Members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) blocked the entrance of the Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday, protesting unpaid government debts amounting to about N1.5 trillion.
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The demonstrators chanted, “How many people government go kill ooo… how many people government go kill,” as the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed-Uzoka-Anite, arrived at the ministry entrance.
Security operatives attempted to clear a pathway for the minister, but the protesters rejected the intervention.
Amid the scuffle, a gunshot was reportedly heard as security personnel tried to disperse the crowd.
The contractors accused the federal government of failing to pay for projects executed and of withholding funds allocated in the 2024/2025 budgets. Last year, AICAN staged protests at the National Assembly and finance ministry over similar grievances.
In December 2025, President Bola Tinubu established a multi-ministerial committee to address the outstanding payments.
The committee includes Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy; Atiku Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning; Tanimu Yakubu, director-general of the budget office; Dave Umahi, minister of works; Ahmed Dangiwa, minister of housing and urban development; and Zacch Adedeji, chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
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The Senate has also invited Minister Edun to provide clarity on the reasons for the delayed payments to federal contractors.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
