The National Forum of APC Young Professionals (NFAYP) has urged President Bola Tinubu and key members of his cabinet to urgently settle outstanding payments owed to indigenous contractors, warning that continued delays could have economic and political consequences ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The forum made the call in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, signed by its National Chairman, Mr Lukman Adejobi, and Secretary, Mr Godwin Lukas.
NFAYP expressed concern over what it described as the Federal Government’s failure to honour payment commitments to local contractors, despite interventions by the National Assembly and presidential directives.
According to the group, the non-payment of contractors for completed projects has adversely affected livelihoods, weakened confidence in public contracting, and pushed some indigenous firms into financial distress.
The forum’s demand comes amid a series of protests by indigenous contractors in Abuja in 2025, during which demonstrators barricaded major government buildings, including the National Assembly complex and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The protests, organised by the Association of Indigenous Contractors of Nigeria (AICAN) and other groups, disrupted legislative activities and at one point forced the House of Representatives to suspend plenary sittings for a week.
Lawmakers later issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ministers of Finance and Budget and National Planning, as well as the Accountant-General of the Federation, to clear outstanding debts linked to the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
NFAYP noted that while government assurances and oversight interventions had resulted in some payments, substantial sums remained outstanding.
“By our checks, more than ₦2 trillion is still owed to indigenous contractors across the country,” the statement said.
The group also criticised what it described as preferential payment to foreign contractors while local firms await settlement.
“You have appropriated funds in the 2026 budget to clear outstandings of the 2024 capital projects executed by indigenous contractors, yet foreign contractors are being paid. This has serious implications for trust and equity,” the forum stated.
NFAYP warned that failure to address the issue could affect the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) politically, noting that unpaid contractors could withdraw support during future elections.
“No foreigner can decide votes in Nigeria. These local contractors are stakeholders whose grievances should not be ignored,” the statement added.
The forum called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to clear the outstanding obligations and appealed to contractors to suspend planned protests to allow more time for the resolution of the issues surrounding the 2024 budget.