Tension is building ahead of the APC national convention as local contractors warn they could take their grievances straight to the venue over massive unpaid debts. Members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria say the Federal Government has failed to settle long-standing obligations, pushing many businesses to the brink.
The warning was issued on Tuesday by AICAN President Jackson Nwosu, during a renewed protest in Abuja.
According to him, contractors are demanding the release of ₦150 billion within 48 hours, describing it as part of already approved funds for completed and verified projects.
“So far, only about ₦21 billion has been paid to our members, while over ₦1 trillion is still outstanding. Our immediate demand is for ₦150 billion to be released within the next two days,” he said.
Nwosu cautioned that if the delay continues, contractors may disrupt activities at the All Progressives Congress (APC) convention, noting that members are growing increasingly frustrated.
Also speaking, AICAN Secretary, Seun Babatunde, said the unpaid debts have left many contractors in severe financial distress.
He explained that project execution has stalled, businesses are struggling to repay loans, and some contractors have suffered devastating personal consequences.
“Many of our members are going through tough times. Some have even died because they couldn’t access funds owed to them. If payments had been made when due, some of these tragedies could have been avoided,” he said.
Babatunde added that discussions are ongoing with the Federal Ministry of Finance to find a way forward.
The contractors have held multiple protests in Abuja in recent months over unpaid jobs carried out between 2024 and 2025, despite provisions in the 2026 budget aimed at clearing the backlog.
The budget set aside about ₦1.7 trillion for verified contractor debts, along with an additional ₦100 billion for other liabilities. However, contractors insist that actual payments have been far slower than expected.
On its part, the government says disbursements are tied to strict verification procedures to ensure transparency and prevent misuse of public funds.
Earlier this year, authorities confirmed the release of ₦152 billion for verified claims, while former Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, defended the process as necessary to safeguard accountability.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had also directed that payments to indigenous contractors be prioritised, but stakeholders say the impact of that directive is yet to be fully felt.
