Contractors Threaten Protest at APC Convention Over Unpaid Debts

Contractors Threaten Protest at APC Convention Over Unpaid Debts

Members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) have threatened to stage a protest at the upcoming national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja over the non-payment of outstanding contract debts owed by the federal government.

The warning was issued on Tuesday by AICAN’s National President, Jackson Nwosu, during a resumed protest by members of the association in the nation’s capital.

Nwosu said the group is demanding the immediate release of N150 billion within 48 hours, describing it as part of funds already approved for verified federal projects.

“For AICAN members, the government has only paid N21 billion so far. What is remaining runs into over N1 trillion, but our immediate concern is the release of N150 billion within the next two days,” he said.

He warned that continued delays could disrupt contractors’ participation in the APC convention, stressing that patience among members is running out.

Also speaking, AICAN National Secretary, Seun Babatunde, said many contractors are battling serious financial challenges as a result of the unpaid debts.

According to him, the situation has affected project execution, loan servicing, and the overall survival of businesses.

“A lot of our members are struggling. Some have lost their lives due to inability to access funds owed to them. If these payments had been made on time, some of these situations could have been avoided,” Babatunde said.

He added that the association is currently engaging officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance in a bid to resolve the matter.

The contractors have staged a series of protests in Abuja in recent months over unpaid jobs executed between 2024 and 2025, despite provisions in the 2026 budget to address the backlog.

The appropriation law earmarked about N1.7 trillion for verified contractor liabilities and an additional N100 billion for other outstanding obligations. However, contractors insist that disbursements have been slower than expected.

Government officials, on their part, maintain that payments are subject to strict verification processes to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.

Earlier in the year, the Ministry of Finance confirmed the release of N152 billion for verified claims, while former Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, defended the verification process as necessary to prevent abuse.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had also directed that payments to indigenous contractors be prioritised, a directive stakeholders say has yet to fully reflect on the ground.