Manny Ita
Tension reached a boiling point at the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters on Thursday as dozens of lawyers and indigenous contractors staged a massive protest, demanding the immediate release of ₦4 trillion owed for completed capital projects. The demonstrators, comprised of members from the Concerned Lawyers for Probity and Justice and the All-Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), picketed the ministry’s entrance, effectively halting administrative activities for several hours.
The protesters, wielding placards and chanting slogans, specifically called for the resignation of the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, whom they accused of administrative negligence. Addressing the press during the demonstration, legal representatives for the group argued that the government’s refusal to settle the debt constitutes a violation of Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution. They maintained that the ₦4 trillion debt represents a significant portion of the capital projects executed during the 2024 fiscal year, leaving local firms in a state of financial ruin.
”This is an abuse of power that breeds corruption and hardship,” one lead counsel stated, adding that “withholding earned payments from citizens who have fulfilled their contractual obligations is not just a breach of contract, but a threat to the rule of law.”
The economic fallout of the non-payment has become a central point of contention, with AICAN leadership highlighting mass layoffs and the imminent collapse of indigenous firms. Many contractors reported that assets are being seized by commercial banks due to their inability to service loans taken to execute the projects. AICAN President, Jackson Ifeanyi, challenged the government’s recent claims of progress, specifically debunking the Ministry’s assertion that ₦152 billion had been disbursed. “The ₦152 billion figure is misleading. Our members have only received about ₦61 billion since December 2025,” Ifeanyi claimed, further alleging that the government has been issuing “payment warrants” that lack actual cash backing.
While the Ministry of Finance has officially stated that all verified claims will be settled by March 31, 2026, the protesters dismissed the timeline as a “delay tactic.” The standoff follows a similar incident on January 19, where security forces reportedly fired warning shots to disperse a crowd blocking the Minister’s access to the building. As of Thursday evening, the protesters have vowed to maintain their presence at the ministry until “tangible credit alerts” are received, signaling a protracted confrontation between the federal government and the indigenous business community.
