A standoff over alleged unpaid federal contracts worth more than N3 trillion has sparked questions about transparency and cash flow management within the Federal Government, after protesters shut down operations at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The blockade, which involved contractors, lawyers, and civil society groups, paralysed access routes and disrupted parliamentary activities for the second consecutive day. The protest intensified public scrutiny of the government’s handling of outstanding project payments under the 2025 capital budget.
Beyond halting traffic and delaying lawmakers, the confrontation has revived concerns about how government contracts are awarded and funded — particularly why completed capital projects remain unpaid despite verification and clearance processes.
The National President of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria, Jackson Nwosu, said contractors have exhausted internal channels of negotiation.
“We have held meetings with the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General, and even the Deputy Speaker of the House,” he said. “If projects were executed and verified, why should payment drag into another fiscal year?”
The group claims that the debts remain unsettled due to delays from the presidency, despite repeated assurances that payment would be made.
The financial implications extend beyond the contractors. Analysts warn that withholding payments for executed projects could discourage private sector participation in government infrastructure programmes, slow job creation, and deepen distrust among local firms who rely on contract payments to sustain operations and repay loans.
With plenary suspended and lawmakers forced into closed-door sessions to address the crisis, the ongoing blockade has highlighted the wider issue: Nigeria’s budget execution suffers when approved capital funds are released late or not disbursed at all.
The House of Representatives is expected to issue a formal position on the matter after consultations, but contractors say they will remain at the gates until payment notifications hit their phones.
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