The Centre for Economic Justice and Social Equity (CEJSE) has slammed the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for what it describes as “gross negligence” and “administrative failure” in the persistent non-payment of verified contractors who have completed government projects nationwide.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its president, Dr. Ibrahim Okehi Omeiza, CEJSE warned that the government’s prolonged delay in fulfilling its financial obligations is having severe economic consequences on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), fueling unemployment, and eroding public confidence in governance.

“The consistent refusal or failure to pay duly verified contractors has now become a silent but deadly virus spreading through the Nigerian economy,” Dr Omeiza said.

“Contractors are the lifeblood of national development. They are builders, service providers, and employers. When they are owed for months and sometimes years, it leads to layoffs, defaults on loans, and a breakdown of local economies that depend on them.”

He described the situation as a form of economic injustice, noting that many of the affected contractors secured loans at high-interest rates from Nigerian banks to complete government projects — only to face stonewalls at the point of payment.

“It is unconscionable that after fulfilling their end of a legally binding agreement, contractors are made to go from one ministry to another like beggars,” Dr Omeiza said.

“This is not just a fiscal issue; it’s a moral one. The Finance Minister and Accountant-General owe the public a clear explanation for this pattern of delay and neglect. We are no longer dealing with isolated incidents. It is systemic, deliberate, and disastrous.

“What many people forget is that these delays affect real lives in very real ways. When a contractor shuts down due to non-payment, workers are sent home. Markets that supply building materials are affected. Families go hungry. Children are withdrawn from school. We are watching a chain reaction of despair, and the silence from key government officials is deafening.”

According to CEJSE, some contractors with fully executed and certified projects have waited up to 18 months without receiving a single payment, despite multiple follow-ups and documented approvals.

The group expressed concern that while budgetary allocations for these contracts had already been made, the funds are either being withheld or diverted without accountability.

“We are not unmindful of Nigeria’s fiscal challenges. But when money is budgeted, contracts awarded, jobs completed and verified, the logical next step is payment. If that process is being obstructed — whether by incompetence, bureaucracy, or corruption — then it must be dismantled. This is the only way to protect what’s left of our economic credibility.”

In a direct appeal to the conscience of the government, the group warned that the continuous withholding of payments will deter future investment and damage public-private sector relations.

“How do you build national infrastructure without a trusted, functioning contractor system? No local or international partner will want to work in a climate where payment is uncertain, where the rules change mid-game, and where due process is sacrificed at the altar of politics or personal interest. It is not only unjust — it is unsustainable.”

The group also hinted at possible legal and civil actions if the situation persists, vowing to mobilise other civic and legal actors to defend affected businesses.

“We are giving this administration a final opportunity to make things right. But if the Finance Minister and Accountant-General fail to provide a transparent account of why these payments are being delayed, and fail to act urgently, we will pursue this matter in the courts of law and the courts of public opinion.”

The Centre called for the immediate release of outstanding payments to all contractors who have completed and certified their projects, a public audit of the delay pattern, and a commitment to systemic reform in how contractor payments are processed across ministries and agencies.

Vanguard News