Protesters in Abuja, under the banner of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) prevented the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, from entering the complex.
The incident occurred on Monday at the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance, when Uzoka-Anite arrived at the ministry and security operatives attempted to force a passage for her into the building.
The move was stoutly resisted by the demonstrators, who insisted that no official would enter until their grievances were addressed.
The protesters shut the ministry gate to press home their demands over unpaid debts totalling about ₦4 trillion allegedly owed to them by the Federal Government.
The aggrieved contractors chanted slogans, including: “How many people government go kill ooo… how many people government go kill,” as the situation grew tense.
Amid the ensuing scuffle, a gunshot was reportedly fired as security personnel tried to disperse the crowd, further heightening anxiety around the premises.
The contractors accused the Federal Government of failing to pay for projects they had already executed, alleging that funds appropriated for the purpose in the 2024 and 2025 budgets had not been released.
They also recalled that similar protests were staged last year at both the National Assembly Complex and the Federal Ministry of Finance over the same issue.
Speaking with journalists during the protest at the Ministry of Finance, AICAN President Jackson Nwosu warned that the association might be forced to take drastic action if the outstanding payments were not settled.
Nwosu said the funds used to execute the 2024 capital projects were largely sourced from commercial banks, placing contractors under severe financial pressure.
According to him, only about 40 per cent of the outstanding amount was paid after the association’s protest in December 2025, adding that members would not vacate the ministry’s premises until the balance was released.
“We are talking about over ₦4 trillion in unpaid capital projects executed for the Federal Government in 2024. These projects have been completed, yet contractors are still unpaid.
“Our next line of action is that if they do not kill us, the economy of this country will die,” he said.
Nwosu explained that many contractors had defaulted on bank loans, leading to the seizure of properties, while some members had reportedly died as a result of the financial strain.
“Most of our members borrowed from banks to execute these projects and are now unable to repay. Some banks have seized their properties, and some contractors have even died.
“We are ready for the worst, but we will continue to be law-abiding and peaceful in our protest until every contractor is paid,” he added.
He accused the Federal Government of reneging on agreements reached with the association, noting that AICAN had submitted a list of contractors who had completed their projects, yet there was no tangible outcome.
Nwosu also quoted the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, as promising that warrants would be released once the list of eligible contractors was provided, but said no payment had followed the submission.
He further stated that members had yet to receive any payment alerts, despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive to settle the debt.
Vice President of the association, Ode Agada, appealed to the Federal Government to honour its agreement with the contractors.
Agada said indigenous contractors had contributed significantly to the country’s economic growth and described their current treatment as unfortunate.
“We have contributed to the growth of the economy of this country. We are indigenous people who supported the government, yet we are being treated this way,” he said.