In a move aimed at defusing mounting tensions and growing unrest, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FG), through the Ministry of Works, has set December 20, 2025, as the firm deadline to settle outstanding payments owed to road contractors across the country.
The assurance was delivered on Thursday by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during the reopening ceremony of the repaired Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa State. Umahi said that the government, under the leadership of Bola Tinubu, had acknowledged the debt backlog and approved the constitution of a special committee to verify and settle all outstanding claims.
Contractors handling federal road-works had, in recent days, taken to the streets — and the gates of the Federal Ministry of Finance — to protest delays in payment for both completed and ongoing projects. According to the protesters, many of them had not been paid for works executed in 2024.
The group behind the demonstration, All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), claimed the government owed contractors roughly ₦4 trillion, though they were demanding an immediate release of ₦760 billion — an amount that had been previously pledged by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, in September.
In a dramatic display of frustration, the protesting contractors placed a symbolic coffin at the entrance of the Ministry of Finance. The coffin, they said, represented the hardship and even loss of lives suffered as a result of the prolonged non-payment.
Responding to the protests, Umahi urged contractors to suspend further demonstrations. He reaffirmed that verified debts would be cleared “within days,” stressing that President Tinubu had directed immediate action. Contractors — including those on the Maraba–Keffi axis such as the China Harbour Engineering Company — were explicitly mentioned among those due for payment in the upcoming disbursement.
In an effort to build transparency and restore public trust, the Ministry of Works revealed that it had invited the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to audit all ongoing and completed federal road projects across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Additionally, the ministry announced plans to launch an online platform to provide real-time monitoring of project status — allowing citizens to track progress and flag any anomalies.
The commitment to settle the backlog comes amid mounting pressure from contractors, criticism over stalled project execution, and concerns raised by civil-society groups about growing distrust in the government’s handling of public contracts.
On the ground, the reopening of the Keffi Flyover—which collapsed in July after a heavy truck crashed into its structure—stands as a tangible symbol of what timely intervention can achieve. The reconstruction, which included replacement of beams, parapets, walkways, and installation of crash-prevention systems, was completed after “emergency funding” was released within 24 hours of the incident.
Still, for many contractors and their workers, the real test lies not in flyovers reopened or new platforms launched, but in waiting for their long-overdue payments to clear — without further delay.
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