Abuja was thrown into tension on Tuesday morning as members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria barricaded the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance with a symbolic coffin, protesting the non-payment of over ₦500 billion owed to them by the Federal Government for projects already completed across the country.
The contractors, who arrived at the ministry’s headquarters at dawn, chanted solidarity songs while holding placards bearing inscriptions demanding justice, survival, and respect for indigenous businesses. The wooden coffin, placed directly at the ministry's gate, became the central symbol of their anguish.
Speaking to journalists, the visibly distressed contractors said the coffin represented the “death, suffering, and endless funerals” they had witnessed among their members due to debts that have remained unpaid for years. Many explained that colleagues had died from stress-related illnesses, depression, or inability to afford medical care — all while the government continued to delay payments for projects fully executed and commissioned.
One of the leaders of the protest lamented: “We brought this coffin because we have been burying our members. These are fathers, breadwinners, people who used their private funds to complete government projects. They died waiting for their money. How many more graves must we dig?”
Another contractor recounted losing his home and business, while others said their children had dropped out of school, and some now lived on borrowed funds and charity after sinking millions into government contracts.
The atmosphere grew even more emotional as widows and children of deceased contractors joined the protest, holding framed photographs of their loved ones whose deaths they blamed on the crushing weight of outstanding government debts.
Several Nigerians reacting to the protest expressed widespread disappointment and frustration over the government’s handling of the situation. One citizen, reflecting the sentiments of many, said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has failed Nigerians.”
The Ministry of Finance has yet to issue an official response as tensions continue to rise around the protest site.
