A coalition of Nigerian contractors has staged a protest in Abuja, accusing the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu of owing them approximately N4 trillion in certified and verified contract payments, a debt they say is crippling businesses, stalling projects, and actively undermining national economic development.
The demonstration, organized by the Forum of Nigerian Contractors (FONC), took place on Tuesday, January 21, 2026, near the Federal Ministry of Works and the Presidential Villa. Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Pay Our N4 Trillion Debt,” “No Payment, No Progress,” and “Tinubu Govt Owes Us N4 Trillion – Economic Sabotage.”
Forum spokesperson Engr. Ibrahim Musa addressed journalists during the rally, stating that the outstanding liabilities span road construction, building projects, water supply schemes, power infrastructure, and other critical public works executed across the country. Many of these contracts were awarded between 2015 and 2023 under previous administrations, with payments certified by relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
“Successive governments have continued to accumulate these debts without meaningful settlement. Under the current Tinubu administration, the situation has worsened dramatically,” Musa alleged. “We have verified certificates worth over N4 trillion that remain unpaid. This is not just about contractors suffering; entire supply chains, thousands of workers, and local economies are collapsing because funds are not released.”
The contractors claimed that prolonged non-payment has led to:
- Mass layoffs of skilled and unskilled workers
- Bankruptcy of several construction firms
- Abandoned or stalled critical infrastructure projects nationwide
- Increased borrowing by contractors to meet obligations, further straining the financial system
- Reduced capacity to bid for or execute new contracts
They described the debt as a “silent killer” of economic development, arguing that timely payments would inject trillions directly into the real sector, stimulate job creation, boost local manufacturing of construction materials, and accelerate GDP growth.
The group appealed directly to President Tinubu to intervene personally, demanding:
1. Immediate release of at least 30–50% of verified debts as a first tranche
2. A structured repayment plan for the balance
3. Establishment of a dedicated presidential committee to audit, verify, and fast-track legacy contractor debts
4. Policy reforms to prevent future accumulation of certified but unpaid liabilities
The Federal Ministry of Works and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation have not issued an immediate response to the protest. However, the government has previously acknowledged legacy contractor debts in the trillions and cited fiscal constraints, including high debt servicing costs and revenue shortfalls, as major barriers to full settlement.
This latest demonstration adds to growing public pressure on the administration over economic hardships, unpaid obligations, and infrastructure delivery amid rising living costs and inflation concerns.
As the protest concluded peacefully, contractors vowed to sustain pressure through legal action, media campaigns, and further demonstrations until meaningful progress is made on debt resolution.
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