The Federal Ministry of Finance says it has approved the payment of more than 1,240 contractors across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) following a verification and reconciliation exercise on outstanding obligations.
In a statement on Monday, Mary-Ann Duke, Senior Special Assistant on Communication and Press Secretary to the Minister of Finance, said the exercise was carried out to confirm valid claims and streamline payments.
According to her, contractors with verified claims of N100 million and below were given priority in the latest disbursement.
‘The Federal Ministry of Finance has approved payments to more than 1,240 contractors, providing immediate liquidity support to businesses across the country and reinforcing the Federal Government’s commitment to meeting its financial obligations,’ the statement reads.
The ministry said the payments are aimed at easing financial pressure on indigenous firms, particularly small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), enabling them to return to project sites, settle workers’ wages, and pay suppliers.
‘Contractors prioritised for payment in the most recent batch are those with verified claims in the region of N100 million or less,’ Duke said.
It added that more than N700 billion in verified obligations owed to local contractors has been processed in recent months.
The statement noted that about N436.6 billion was processed in May alone, describing it as a sharp increase in payment activity designed to improve liquidity and support economic recovery.
The ministry said prioritising smaller contractors was intended to widen the reach of payments across sectors and regions while sustaining jobs and ensuring the completion of ongoing projects.
It also said the latest disbursement would strengthen confidence among contractors, suppliers, and service providers working with the government.
In January, aggrieved contractors blocked access to the Ministry of Finance, preventing former Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, from entering the premises.
Six months later, the Senate set up a committee to engage the ministry over outstanding contractor debts.