Works Minister Umahi Assures Protesting Contractors, Sets December 20 Deadline for Payment of N4 Trillion Debt Backlog

The Federal Government has moved decisively to quell rising tensions among contractors handling critical infrastructure projects, assuring them that all verifiable outstanding payments will be cleared by December 20, 2025. The assurance was delivered by the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, on Thursday, December 4, 2025, during the official reopening of the reconstructed Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa State.

Minister Umahi’s promise follows recent, high-profile protests staged by the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria, who have been demanding the settlement of what they claim is a debt backlog that could be as high as N4 trillion. The contractors had earlier converged on the Ministry of Finance, alleging that the government failed to honor previous commitments to release the funds.

Responding directly to the unrest, the Minister confirmed that President Bola Tinubu had acknowledged the severity of the debt and had promptly approved the constitution of a special committee tasked with reviewing and settling all outstanding claims before the deadline.

In an unprecedented move aimed at building public trust and ensuring fiscal integrity, Umahi disclosed that the Ministry of Works has formally invited anti-graft agencies the ICPC and the EFCC to audit all ongoing and completed federal road projects across the country. The Minister stated that this measure is crucial for enhancing transparency and ensuring that disbursements only reflect actual, completed work. “We are very transparent in what we are doing under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Umahi asserted, urging the contractors to halt their protests and trust the government’s commitment to prioritizing their payments.