Lawyers Storm Finance Ministry to Protest Unpaid N4trn Contractors Debts
- About 500 lawyers have protested at the Federal Ministry of Finance over unpaid debts allegedly owed to indigenous contractors for completed capital projects
- The protesters had accused the ministry of selective payments and demanded the resignation of the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite
- Organisers had warned that continued non-payment of verified debts was worsening economic hardship and could trigger legal action
Hundreds of lawyers on Thursday converged on the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja to protest the non-payment of debts allegedly owed to indigenous contractors for completed capital projects.
The action added fresh pressure on the ministry as concerns grow over the economic toll of delayed government obligations.
Source: Facebook
As reported by Tribune, the protesters, numbering about 500, marched under the banner of the Concerned Lawyers for Probity and Justice.
They acted in collaboration with the Enough is Enough Movement and the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria. The groups claimed that contractors were owed an estimated N4 trillion and accused the ministry of selective disbursement and favouritism.
Lawyers protest over alleged selective payments
The demonstration followed a series of earlier protests by contractors who complained that verified debts remained largely unpaid.
Some of those protests reportedly disrupted activities at the ministry, including blocking access to offices.
The lawyers said partial payments made after demonstrations in December 2025 failed to resolve the wider problem.
Speaking to journalists, the convener of the group, Barrister Precious Isi Okoh, described the financial distress faced by contractors who relied on bank loans to execute government projects. He said many were now grappling with defaults and asset seizures.
“Contractors who borrowed from banks at high interest rates to fund these projects now face relentless loan defaults, with banks seizing homes, vehicles, and other assets. Wives and children watch their breadwinners sink into despair, some pushed to the brink of mental breakdown or worse. Entire households have been uprooted, dreams shattered, and futures stolen , all because payments promised and earned have not been made,” Okoh said.
Source: Facebook
Okoh warns of economic impact
Okoh warned that unpaid contracts had triggered job losses across construction and allied sectors, weakening local economies and slowing national development. He argued that stalled payments affected thousands of workers whose livelihoods depend on steady projects.
“These contractors employ thousands of workers , masons, engineers, labourers, and others, who depend on steady contracts for survival. When payments stall, jobs vanish, purchasing power drops, local markets suffer, and economic growth grinds to a halt. A nation that starves its own builders starves itself of progress,” he added.
The group demanded the resignation of the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka Anite, accusing her office of failing to act. Okoh cited constitutional provisions to support their claims and called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
He warned that the lawyers would pursue legal action and other remedies if the funds were not released promptly.
Gunshot heard as angry contractors barricade
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that tension flared at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday, January 19, after protesting local contractors blocked the entrance and prevented the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka Anite, from gaining access to the premises.
The protesters, operating under the banner of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria, barricaded the main gate to demand payment of debts they said were owed by the federal government for completed projects.
Source: Legit.ng
