Contractors engaged by the Federal Government have begun an indefinite protest in Abuja, demanding payment for completed and certified projects. The protest, which started on Monday, is taking place at the Accountant General’s Office and the Ministry of Finance Headquarters.
The contractors, who have not been paid since October 2024, are frustrated by the delay in payments despite having fulfilled all their contractual obligations. Many of these contractors, according to Kabir Tidjani, Spokesman for Concerned Federal Government Contractors, resorted to loans from financial institutions to fund their projects but have yet to receive the funds they are owed.
“We are here because we have no choice left. Our workers are hungry, our debts are mounting, and our businesses are being destroyed by the same government that promised development,” said one of the protesting contractors. The spokesperson also criticized government officials who continue to receive steady funding for recurrent expenses, such as foreign travels and luxury vehicles, while contractors who have delivered critical development projects are left unpaid.
The contractors have vowed to remain at the protest locations every day until the government fulfills its payment obligations. They are also calling on other contractors and stakeholders who are owed by the Federal Government to join the protest in solidarity.
“We will continue this peaceful protest indefinitely until the government releases the funds owed for capital projects that are vital to the country’s progress,” said the spokesperson. The contractors are urging the government to act quickly, as the financial struggles faced by many of them have already pushed some businesses to the edge of collapse.
