Protesting contractors block Finance Ministry gate in Abuja, Minister denied entry

There was tension and commotion at the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday as protesting local contractors prevented Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Minister of State for Finance, from entering the ministry complex.

The demonstrators, who are members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), blocked the ministry gate to press the federal government to settle outstanding debts owed to them for completed projects.

When Uzoka-Anite arrived at the ministry entrance, security operatives attempted to clear a pathway for her into the building. However, the move was rejected by the protesting contractors, who refused to allow her passage.

“How many people government go kill ooo… how many people government go kill,” the protesters chanted in unison, expressing anger over what they described as prolonged government neglect and delayed payments.

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Amid the scuffle, a gunshot was reportedly heard as security personnel attempted to disperse the protesters, escalating the tension at the scene.

The contractors accused the federal government of refusing to pay them for projects executed and failing to release funds earmarked in the 2024/2025 budgets. They alleged that despite completing works, the government has continued to delay payments, leaving many contractors struggling financially.

AICAN has been staging similar protests in recent times. Last year, contractors organised a series of demonstrations at the National Assembly Complex and the finance ministry to demand the settlement of outstanding debts.

In December 2025, President Bola Tinubu established a multi-ministerial committee to address the debt owed to federal contractors, estimated at about N1.5 trillion.

The committee is chaired by Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and includes: Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; Tanimu Yakubu, Director-General of the Budget Office; Dave Umahi, Minister of Works; Ahmed Dangiwa, Minister of Housing and Urban Development and Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)

In addition, a Senate committee had invited Edun to provide explanations on the circumstances surrounding the payment delays.

The latest protest underscores growing frustration among indigenous contractors over the slow pace of government intervention and the continued delay in settling billions of naira owed for completed federal projects.