By Joan Nezi| Abuja | November 5, 2025
Despite recent assurances from the Federal Government and ongoing intervention by the National Assembly, the Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) has vowed to continue its peaceful protest over unpaid project funds executed in 2024.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier written to the National Assembly seeking approval to borrow ₦1.5 trillion locally to offset debts owed to local contractors and stimulate grassroots economic activity.
In response, the House of Representatives adopted a motion urging the Ministry of Finance to expedite payment to the affected contractors.
However, the move has not calmed the aggrieved group, which insists it has lost faith in government promises.
“We’ll Continue Until We Are Paid” — AICAN President
Speaking in an exclusive interview with AWC, the National President of AICAN, Mr. Jackson Ifeanyi, reaffirmed the association’s resolve to sustain its demonstrations until the debts are fully settled.
“We are agents of economic development, and our members executed several approved projects under the 2024 fiscal year. Many contractors took loans, used their savings, and fulfilled all government specifications — yet, they have not been paid,” Ifeanyi lamented.
He added that the peaceful protests, which began at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, would soon be extended to various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“We are law-abiding citizens. We will continue our demonstrations peacefully, but this time, we are taking it to the MDAs,” he said.
Distrust in Government’s Commitment
While acknowledging the National Assembly’s intervention and the President’s loan request, Mr. Ifeanyi expressed skepticism about the government’s sincerity to resolve the issue.
“We appreciate the National Assembly for listening to our plight and the President for seeking a way to raise funds, but our fear is that the government may not act in good faith. We have seen promises like this before that never translated into action,” he noted.
According to him, the continued delay in payments has crippled many indigenous businesses and forced several small contractors out of operation.
“Our members are suffering. Families are breaking apart. We cannot stop until action is taken, not just promises,” he stressed.
National Assembly’s Role
The House of Representatives, during its plenary yesterday, urged the executive arm to immediately release funds to pay verified indigenous contractors whose jobs have been completed, citing the economic importance of empowering local firms and sustaining employment.
Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, in moving the motion, said the delay in payments contradicts the government’s local content policy and could weaken confidence in public procurement systems.
The legislative motion was widely supported, with lawmakers emphasizing that indigenous contractors form a vital part of Nigeria’s domestic economy and must be prioritized in government spending.
Background
AICAN members had staged multiple protests in Abuja earlier this year, decrying non-payment for federal projects — including rural roads, solar-powered boreholes, and school rehabilitation works — reportedly completed in 2024.
The Ministry of Finance had previously cited “cash flow constraints” and pending verification of claims as reasons for the delay, but AICAN maintains that most of its members’ projects had been duly inspected and commissioned.
Looking Ahead
As tensions mount, the indigenous contractors say their patience is running thin. Unless the Federal Government takes immediate action, the group warns that it will intensify demonstrations across federal MDAs, including the Ministries of Works, Finance, and Humanitarian Affairs, etcetera .
“We want action, not another round of promises. Until we are paid, the protests continue,” Ifeanyi declared firmly.
Summary Points:
- Indigenous contractors reject new government assurances on payment.
- Tinubu seeks ₦1.5 trillion loan to offset contractor debts.
- AICAN vows to expand protests to MDAs across Abuja.
- National Assembly adopts motion urging prompt payment.
