The Federal Government has assured road contractors that all verified outstanding payments will be settled on or before Dec. 20, 2025.
The Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, gave the assurance on Thursday during the reopening of the repaired Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa State.
Umahi said President Bola Tinubu had acknowledged the backlog of debts owed contractors and approved the setting up of a special committee to review and verify all outstanding claims.
Contractors handling federal road projects had in recent days protested at the Federal Ministry of Finance over alleged non-payment for completed and ongoing works.
The All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria had claimed the government owed about N4 trillion, while specifically demanding the release of N760 billion earlier pledged for payment in September.
The contractors also displayed a symbolic coffin at the entrance of the ministry, alleging hardship and deaths among their members due to the unpaid funds.
Responding, Umahi urged the contractors to halt further protests, saying the President had directed that all verified debts be cleared within days.
He noted that some contractors working on the Maraba–Keffi corridor, including the China Harbour Engineering Company, were yet to receive payment but would be captured in the new disbursement process.
“Mr President recognised that contractors are being owed and has set up a committee to review all the debts. Before Dec. 20, you will be paid,” he said.
Umahi also disclosed that the ministry had invited the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to audit all ongoing and completed federal road projects across the 36 states and the FCT.
He said the move was aimed at enhancing transparency and ensuring that payments correspond with actual work done.
According to him, the ministry is introducing a digital monitoring platform to enable real-time tracking of project progress and promote public accountability.
Speaking on the Keffi Flyover, which collapsed on July 4 after a truck damaged its structural components, Umahi said the President approved emergency funds within 24 hours of the incident.
Technical officials from the ministry confirmed that the flyover had been fully repaired, with new safety systems installed to prevent future truck collisions.
The minister also addressed criticisms regarding the pace of work on the Abuja–Kano Road, saying design flaws in the original contract had required modifications. He said more than 44 kilometres had been completed under current funding, with concrete pavement and solar-lit sections nearing completion around Kano.
Umahi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to quality assurance, saying all contractors would be subjected to strict monitoring and a 2.5 per cent retention regime until full compliance was confirmed.