The All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), a coalition of local contractors under the banner Agents for Economic Development, has issued an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding the immediate release of funds owed to contractors who completed and commissioned federal projects in 2024.
In the strongly worded statement addressed to the President and copied to the National Assembly, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant agencies, the association decried what it described as “a deliberate act of economic sabotage” resulting from the government’s failure to pay contractors despite completed and operational projects nationwide.
According to AICAN, many of its members had executed government projects with loans secured from both local and international financial institutions. The continued non-payment, they said, has plunged numerous contractors into deep financial hardship, forcing many to lay off workers and, in some cases, shut down operations entirely.
“To deny contractors their rightful payments after duly completing government projects constitutes an act of economic sabotage and a betrayal of public trust,” the letter read. “Many companies are collapsing, jobs are being lost, families are suffering, and, tragically, some individuals have lost their lives due to the crushing financial burdens imposed by this neglect.”
The association’s National President, Mr. Jackson Ifeanyi, lamented that despite multiple assurances from top government officials, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who reportedly intervened on behalf of the President, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Babatunde Ogunjimi, no payments have been made.
AICAN claimed that although “payment approvals and warrants” have been signed and transmitted, they have not been backed with the necessary cash releases — a situation the group likened to “issuing dud cheques to citizens.”
Mr. Ifeanyi urged President Tinubu to uphold his reputation as a democrat and a man of fairness by ensuring that contractors are paid without further delay.
“Mr. President, we appeal to you to act decisively and release the funds meant for these contractors. The economic stability, credibility, and moral integrity of our nation depend on honoring these obligations,” he said.
The association’s open letter concluded with a rallying cry:
“Injury to one is injury to all. Let justice prevail for every Nigerian contractor who worked in good faith to build this nation.”
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Presidency or the Ministry of Finance regarding the contractors’ demands.