A group of aggrieved contractors under the banner of Concerned Local Contractors staged a peaceful protest on Monday at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, accusing the federal government of failing to pay for projects completed since January.

Chanting solidarity songs and holding placards with inscriptions such as “We delivered our projects, now pay us money” and “Central payment system by OAGF and FMF has failed woefully – revert to the old system,” the contractors expressed deep frustration over what they described as a prolonged and economically crippling delay in payments.

Spokespersons for the group alleged that despite completing approved federal contracts earlier this year, none of their members had received payment as at July, with many now facing financial ruin.

They further criticised the centralised payment structure managed by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), claiming it had become opaque, selective, and inefficient.

“We have fulfilled our obligations under government contracts, yet we are made to suffer endlessly for doing our jobs,” one protester said. “This is not just about business—it is about families, workers, and livelihoods being destroyed by bureaucratic inertia.”

The protesters called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally intervene in the matter, warning that continued delay may push already overstretched contractors into desperation, with wider implications for national security and economic stability.

“We are appealing to Mr President to speak to these officials. It has been six months and counting. Contractors have not been paid, and people are suffering,” the spokesperson said.

The group also claimed that the 2025 federal budget implementation rate currently stands at just 35 per cent, attributing this figure in part to the non-payment of contractors who have already completed their work.

They demanded that the Ministry of Finance be allowed to resume responsibility for processing payments, insisting that the central payment system under the OAGF is riddled with bottlenecks and lacks transparency.

So far, neither the Ministry of Finance nor the OAGF has issued a formal response to the protest.