Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised alarm over reports that local contractors across the country are still owed significant amounts for projects already completed, despite the Federal Government’s claims of strong revenue performance.
In a statement shared on 𝕏 on Thursday, Obi questioned why contractors continue to protest over unpaid bills when President Bola Tinubu recently announced that Nigeria had “met and surpassed” its annual revenue targets.
Obi noted that many of the affected contractors are small- and medium-scale businesses whose survival depends heavily on timely payments for government projects.
According to him, these companies sustain local economies and employ thousands of Nigerians, making delayed payments particularly damaging.
The Labour Party chieftain expressed worry over the growing number of demonstrations in Abuja and other cities, where contractors have taken to the streets demanding settlements for work already delivered.
“Most of these contractors are ordinary Nigerians running small and medium businesses,” Obi said. “They have executed essential public projects with the expectation that government would uphold its contractual responsibilities.”
He argued that the situation contradicts the Federal Government’s boast of record revenue. Obi stressed that a country claiming increased earnings should not simultaneously leave contractors unpaid, especially when such funds could stimulate growth in education, healthcare, and poverty-reduction initiatives.
“A responsible government cannot parade revenue achievements while thousands of contractors remain owed,” he said, adding that the issue exposes deeper concerns surrounding transparency and financial accountability within the public sector.
Obi warned that the impact of unpaid contracts extends far beyond the contractors themselves. He emphasized that business closures, job losses, and household hardship are inevitable when government fails to honour financial obligations.
“We cannot build a strong economy on mismanaged public funds and neglected responsibilities,” he said. “If revenue has truly improved, it should reflect in prompt payments, stronger MSMEs, and reduced borrowing.”
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He concluded that fulfilling contractual obligations is not merely administrative—it is a measure of leadership integrity. “A nation cannot rise when its government fails to meet basic commitments. True leadership requires discipline, transparency, and policies that support the people,” Obi said.
