Coalition Urges Patience As Federal Gov’t Moves To Resolve Contractor Debts

The Coalition for Sustainable Fiscal Reform (CSFR), a prominent body of indigenous contractors and economic advocates, has called for patience amidst the rising tide of fiscal anxiety and recent demonstrations at the Federal Ministry of Finance, noting that government is working to resolve the issue.

The coalition called for a shift from confrontation to collaboration, while throwing its weight behind the minister of state for finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite.

Leading the charge for a move to stabilise the narrative following calls for the minister’s resignation, the coalition argued that the ministry is currently undergoing a “necessary surgical transition” from decades of erratic payment cycles to a permanent, transparent framework.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the coalition’s national coordinator, Dr Ridwan Kadiri noted that the minister of state recently assumed her portfolio at a time when the nation’s debt management required a foundational reset.

He said “The frustration felt by our colleagues is valid, but the target of their protest is misplaced. We are witnessing a move away from ‘surface-level solutions’, those temporary palliatives that have historically failed to end the cycle of debt. Instead, the minister is implementing an organic solution that addresses the problem from the root. This ensures that once a contractor is paid, the system is strengthened to prevent future arrears from ever accumulating again.”

The coalition pointed to the minister’s insistence on a rigorous verification exercise as a protective measure for genuine indigenous businesses.

It also argued that by de-bottlenecking the system, the ministry is ensuring that the N152 billion recently disbursed reached the hands of those who have actually delivered on their projects, rather than “ghost entities” that have historically drained the treasury.

“Dr. Uzoka-Anite has brought a culture of accountability that was previously missing,” the group stated, noting that “To demand a resignation at this critical junction of reform is to invite chaos. We cannot afford to restart the clock now when the machinery for sustainable payment is finally being calibrated.”

CSFR urged the leadership of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) to embrace the principle of “strategic patience”, emphasizing that the 2026 fiscal roadmap already contains clear provisions for clearing the 2024–2025 backlogs, a feat that can only be achieved through administrative stability.

“We are calling for a truce. Let the street protests be replaced by boardroom engagement. The minister of state has shown the political will to face a problem that many of her predecessors ignored. We owe it to the stability of the economy to allow these organic reforms to mature. A sustainable future for Nigerian contractors is within reach, but it requires the steady hand currently at the helm,” the coalition stated.

The coalition concluded by reaffirming its commitment to monitoring the disbursement process, promising to work closely with the ministry to ensure that the “Root-to-Branch” reform benefits every legitimate contractor across the federation.