By Progress Godfrey
The All-Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) has dismissed claims that its members have been paid ₦152 billion by the Federal Government, describing the assertion as false, misleading and a deliberate attempt to misinform Nigerians.
AICAN said the misinformation threatens ongoing reconciliation efforts and undermines confidence in the payment process, especially at a time when contractors are struggling with liquidity pressures, rising costs and stalled operations.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday on behalf of the association, AICAN’s National General Secretary, Babatunde Seun Oyeniyi, said the payment narrative credited to the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, does not reflect the financial reality of indigenous contractors who are still owed trillions of naira for executed government projects.
Vanguard reported growing tension among indigenous contractors over unpaid government obligations totaling over ₦4 trillion, with several protests staged to demand settlement of certified projects. Recent claims, however, emerged that ₦152 billion had been paid to members of the All-Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria.
But the contractors insisted that only ₦61 billion has been received so far, while the bulk of approved payments remains outstanding due to administrative bottlenecks and unsigned warrants.
AICAN added that the only verified payment made recently was ₦21 billion, finalised on December 31, 2025, and disbursed on January 21, 2026.
“AICAN wishes to inform the general public and set the record straight regarding the false and misleading information recently released by the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, and promoted by a blogger known as Dee-One.
“The claim that the Honourable Minister has paid ₦152 billion to AICAN members is completely false and misleading. Even if, for the sake of argument, such an amount had been paid (which it has not), would it be considered an achievement out of over ₦4 trillion owed by the Federal Government to contractors nationwide?” AICAN queried.
Oyeniyi disclosed that ₦150 billion was approved during a meeting with the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, on December 3, 2025, to settle outstanding 2024 project payments, but implementation has remained slow and uneven.
He revealed that 786 companies were submitted for batch payments, of which 611 were finalised, totalling ₦61.5 billion, while 175 companies remain unpaid due to review, approval, and documentation issues.
“From December 2025 to date, only ₦61 Billion has been received, covering 611 companies only,” the statement said, adding that “the claim that AICAN has been paid ₦152 Billion is false, deceptive, and intended to mislead the Nigerian public,” Oyeniyi said.
On unbatch payments, AICAN said 938 companies submitted claims totaling about ₦53 billion, but the process has stalled because the required warrants have yet to be signed by the Minister of State for Finance.
The association warned that unless all approved payments are released and outstanding warrants signed, the financial strain on contractors will deepen, affecting project delivery and job retention across the construction value chain.
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