The demonstrators, members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), barricaded the ministry’s main gate to protest alleged outstanding debts owed to them by the federal government.
Chaos erupted at the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday as protesting local contractors blocked the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, from entering the ministry complex.
The demonstrators, members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), barricaded the ministry’s main gate to protest alleged outstanding debts owed to them by the federal government.
Eyewitnesses said the contractors arrived early, chanting solidarity songs and demanding that the minister settle the overdue payments before normal activities could resume.
Tensions escalated when Uzoka-Anite arrived and security personnel tried to clear a path for her entry.
The protesters resisted, resulting in a standoff. During the confrontation, a gunshot was reportedly fired, causing panic, though it is unclear if anyone was injured.
The protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations by contractors seeking payment for completed and commissioned projects.
The contractors claim that most of these projects remain unpaid.
President Bola Tinubu had in December 2025 ordered the formation of a committee to resolve the issue.
Additionally, a Senate committee has invited the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to provide explanations over the unpaid debts.
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