Indigenous contractors operating under the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) on Monday resumed protests in Abuja over an alleged ₦4 trillion debt owed to them by the Federal Government for capital projects executed in 2024.

The protesters barricaded the Federal Ministry of Finance, vowing not to vacate the premises until the outstanding payments are fully settled.

Speaking to journalists, AICAN President Jackson Nwosu warned that the association was prepared to escalate its actions if the government continued to ignore its demands.

According to Nwosu, most of the projects were executed using bank loans, leaving contractors heavily indebted more than a year after completing and delivering verified projects.

“We are talking about over ₦4 trillion worth of capital projects executed for the Federal Government in 2024. These projects have been completed, yet the government has refused to pay,” he said.

“Our next line of action is simple: if they don’t kill us, the economy of this country will die. We are ready for the worst.”

Nwosu disclosed that following a similar protest in December 2025, only about 40 per cent of the outstanding debt was paid, insisting that contractors would remain at the ministry until the balance is cleared.

He said many members have defaulted on bank loans, with financial institutions seizing properties and, in some cases, pushing contractors into severe health crises.

“Banks have taken over properties, and some of our members have even died. We are not leaving the streets until our full money is paid,” he added.

Nwosu accused the government of reneging on agreements reached with the association, despite being provided with verified lists of contractors who completed their projects.

He also cited assurances from the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, that payment warrants would be issued once the list of entitled contractors was submitted—an assurance he said has not been fulfilled. He further claimed that no payment alerts had been received despite an alleged directive from President Bola Tinubu to clear outstanding obligations.

AICAN Vice President Ode Agada described the government’s handling of the issue as unjust and harmful to the economy, urging authorities to honour their commitments.

“We are indigenous Nigerians who supported the government and contributed to the economy, yet we are being treated unfairly,” Agada said, calling on the international community to intervene.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the association’s chairman, Adebola Benson, appealed to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to settle outstanding payments owed to contractors in Abuja.

Benson said many contractors now face threats of arrest by banks after borrowing to finance government projects. He dismissed claims that civil servants executed the contracts, insisting that indigenous contractors carried out the work.

The association further accused the FCT administration of deploying armed security operatives to intimidate protesters during earlier demonstrations over alleged unpaid debts exceeding ₦5.2 billion.

In a statement, the group said its peaceful protest was lawful under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, adding that years of letters, legislative interventions and appeals to the presidency had failed to yield results.

According to the association, many members have lost homes, withdrawn their children from school or been evicted from rented apartments due to unpaid debts, while at least 10 contractors reportedly died from stress-related illnesses linked to financial hardship.

“A labourer deserves his wages. This injustice affects us today; tomorrow, it could be anyone else,” the statement warned.