The Federal Government sought to ease rising tension among road contractors by promising full settlement of outstanding payments, following heightened frustration over prolonged delays that had stalled financing and disrupted major national road projects.
Minister of Works, David Umahi said President Bola Tinubu had acknowledged the scale of the debt backlog and approved a verification committee to confirm all pending claims before disbursement.
Contractors had intensified pressure on the government after alleging that delays in payment for completed and ongoing works had pushed many firms into severe financial strain.
Members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria said the government owed about N4 trillion and demanded immediate release of N760bn previously pledged by senior officials, warning that continued silence would worsen the hardship faced by construction stakeholders nationwide.
Umahi, during the inspection of the repaired Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa State, yesterday, announced that the President had directed that all verified debts be cleared on or before December 20, insisting the payment timeline was firm and urging contractors to end their protests at the finance ministry.
“The President recognised that you have been owed and is setting up a committee to review all the debts. Before the 20th of December, you’ll be paid,” the minister said.
He added that firms on the Maraba–Keffi axis, including China Harbour Engineering Company, remained among those awaiting settlement but would be covered in the upcoming disbursement.
According to him, the protests were no longer necessary, stressing that the verification process was being handled with urgency at the highest level.
Umahi disclosed that the ministry had invited the ICPC and EFCC to audit all ongoing and completed federal road projects across the 36 states and the FCT, describing it as a move to enhance transparency and ensure that payments reflected actual work done.
He said an online monitoring system was also being introduced to allow citizens track progress and submit concerns in real time.
The minister repea his commitment to quality and accountability, saying concrete pavement technology, stricter monitoring, and a 2.5 per cent retention fee would remain central to ensuring durability and full contractor compliance across all federal road projects.
