Dave Umahi
By Tosin Ogunrinde
The Federal Government has officially set *December 20, 2025* as the cut‑off date for clearing all verified payments owed to road contractors, after weeks of demonstrations by the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) at the Ministry of Finance. Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced the deadline while reopening the repaired Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa State, stressing that President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full review of the debts and that a high‑level committee will be set up to validate every claim.
The protests began in early November, with contractors demanding about *N4 trillion* in unpaid dues and specifically the release of a *N760 billion* tranche promised by Finance Minister Wale Edun .They even placed a symbolic coffin at the ministry’s entrance to dramatise the hardship they say they’ve endured. The government’s response was to assure that no further protests are needed because the President has recognised the backlog and ordered immediate action.
Umahi explained that a special committee will be constituted to verify each claim, and once validated, payments will be made before the December 20 deadline .This committee is expected to work hand‑in‑hand with the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant‑General, who have already confirmed that *N2.4 trillion* has been earmarked for contractors, with an additional *N760 billion* approved for cash backing.
In a bid to boost transparency, the Ministry of Works has invited the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to audit all federal road projects nationwide .An online platform is also in the pipeline to give Nigerians real‑time updates on project progress, delays, and feedback channels, aiming to rebuild public trust in government‑funded infrastructure.
The deadline is expected to ease the cash‑flow crunch for contractors, many of whom have taken bank loans to keep projects afloat and have faced severe financial strain from delayed payments ⁵. Analysts note that settling these debts could inject much‑needed liquidity into the construction sector, stimulate economic activity, and reduce the ripple effects of unpaid wages and stalled works across the country.
So, in a nutshell, the government is pulling the plug on the payment deadlock with a clear timeline, a verification committee, and a transparency drive, hoping to put an end to the protests and get the roads moving again before the year ends. If all goes to plan, contractors should start seeing the money flow in by the 20th, and the nation can look forward to fewer roadblocks—both literal and figurative.
