$460m Abuja CCTV Project: Tinubu Govt Claims No Record of Local Contractors

The Federal Ministry of Finance has revealed that it doesn't have a record of local contractors who were engaged in the $460 million Abuja CCTV project. This revelation was made in response to a contempt proceeding filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

According to the ministry, local subcontractors may have been engaged, but there's an absence of detailed subcontracting records identifying specific local companies that received funds directly from the Chinese loan. The Ministry of Finance made this disclosure in a letter dated 15 May 2026 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, R. O. Omachi.

SERAP has expressed concerns over the lack of transparency and accountability in the project, stating that Nigerians still don't know exactly the names of local contractors for the project. The organisation is urging the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, to disclose the identities of all local contractors, subcontractors, consultants, vendors, and other entities that benefited from the payments under the National Public Security Communication System project in Abuja.

The $460 million Abuja CCTV project was financed through a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, with the Federal Government contributing $70.5 million as counterpart funding. The project was intended to strengthen surveillance, public safety, and emergency response in Abuja. However, the lack of transparency and accountability in the project has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the project and the use of public funds.

SERAP said, 'We're concerned that although the judgment was delivered in May 2023, the Ministry only released some information after we commenced contempt proceedings and served a Notice to Show Cause in January 2026.' This was stated in a letter dated 23 May 2026 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

The Federal High Court had ordered the Ministry of Finance to disclose the total amount paid under the $460 million Abuja CCTV loan. It also ordered the disclosure of the identities of local and Chinese contractors who received the funds, the status of the project’s implementation, and details relating to the N1.5 billion reportedly paid for the Code of Conduct Bureau headquarters project. SERAP has argued that the details provided by the Ministry of Finance amount to only partial compliance with the court's judgment.

The Ministry of Finance has disclosed that the Federal Government received $399.5 million from the Export-Import Bank of China for the National Public Security Communication System. The funds were drawn down in ten instalments between March 2011 and December 2013. The Ministry also confirms that the principal contractor for the project is ZTE Corporation of China, with payments made through Bank of China, Shenzhen Branch.

SERAP has urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to fully, effectively, and urgently implement the judgment of the Federal High Court ordering disclosure of information relating to the Abuja CCTV project. The organisation is seeking the disclosure of the names of all Nigerian companies, subcontractors, consultants, and vendors involved in the project.

The lack of transparency and accountability in the $460 million Abuja CCTV project has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the project and the use of public funds. The project was intended to strengthen surveillance, public safety, and emergency response in Abuja. The ongoing security crisis in the country has highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.

The Federal Ministry of Finance must take immediate action to disclose the identities of all local contractors, subcontractors, consultants, vendors, and other entities that benefited from the payments under the National Public Security Communication System project in Abuja. This is necessary to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds. It's also necessary to reassure Nigerians that the project was implemented in a manner consistent with the public interest.

The $460 million Abuja CCTV project has been shrouded in controversy, with the lack of transparency and accountability in the project raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of the project and the use of public funds. The Federal Ministry of Finance must take immediate action to address these concerns. It's essential that the Ministry ensures the project is implemented in a manner consistent with the public interest. The project's implementation and the use of public funds must be transparent and accountable to reassure Nigerians.