The All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) will protest at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention in Abuja, demanding the immediate release of 150 billion naira for verified federal contracts. The association accuses the government of severe delays in payments, threatening contractor participation in the political event.
AICAN’s National President, Jackson Nwosu, announced the protest following a resumed demonstration in Abuja on Tuesday. He stated that while the government has paid 21 billion naira against verified liabilities, a balance exceeding 1 trillion naira remains outstanding. “Our immediate demand is for the payment to be made between now and the next two days,” Nwosu said, specifying the 150 billion naira as an urgent priority.
The association’s National Secretary, Seun Babatunde, highlighted the operational crises facing members, including loan defaults and stalled projects. He cited a recent case where a member died from prostate cancer; the member had over 100 million naira owed by the government, funds that could have covered treatment. “A lot of our members are dying as a result of this debt,” Babatunde said.
AICAN has held repeated protests in Abuja since 2024 over unpaid contracts executed in 2024 and 2025. The 2026 Appropriation Bill allocated 1.7 trillion naira for verified 2024 contractor liabilities and 100 billion naira for other local debts, yet disbursements have proceeded slowly.
Government officials maintain that payments follow verification and compliance checks to ensure accountability. In January 2026, the Ministry of Finance confirmed the disbursement of 152 billion naira for verified contracts. Former Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, previously said the verification process safeguards transparency in public fund management.
President Bola Tinubu has directed officials to prioritise payments to indigenous contractors, but AICAN insists key releases remain delayed. The upcoming protest at the APC convention underscores growing frustration within the contractor community and raises questions about the pace of settling certified federal obligations despite budgetary provisions.
