The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has formally requested the Federal Government to immediately reveal the identities of all local contractors, subcontractors, consultants, and vendors who benefited from the $460 million Abuja CCTV project, also known as the National Public Security Communication System.
SERAP also called upon the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, to provide comprehensive details regarding payments made, the execution of the project, and any outstanding deliverables. The organization insists that Nigerians still lack crucial information about how these funds were expended.
This demand was articulated in a letter dated May 23, 2026, signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare. The Federal Ministry of Finance had previously informed SERAP that there was an “absence of detailed subcontracting records identifying specific local companies that received funds directly from the Chinese loan,” despite indications that local subcontractors might have been engaged.
The ministry’s stance was conveyed in a letter dated May 15, 2026, signed by Permanent Secretary R. O. Omachi, according to a statement released by Kolawole on Sunday. SERAP noted that this response followed contempt proceedings initiated over a 2023 Federal High Court judgment that mandated the disclosure of project details, including contractors, funding, and implementation status.
“We are 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,” SERAP stated. The group maintains that the government’s response constitutes only partial compliance with the court order.
According to SERAP, “Nigerians still do not know exactly the names of local contractors for the project. The absence of this information raises serious concerns about record keeping, transparency and accountability, and whether the project was implemented in a manner consistent with the public interest.”
SERAP recalled that on May 15, 2023, the Federal High Court ordered the Ministry of Finance to disclose the total amount paid under the $460 million loan, the identities of both local and Chinese contractors, the project implementation status, and details of a reported ₦1.5 billion payment for the Code of Conduct Bureau headquarters.
The organization stated that the information provided thus far leaves several questions unanswered, including the status of missing equipment and whether the project delivered value for money. “The details provided amount to only partial compliance with Justice Emeka Nwite’s judgment. Key questions remain unanswered, and further clarification is needed to ensure full and effective compliance,” SERAP said.
SERAP further highlighted that over 6,000 items reportedly remain unaccounted for under the project, which raises concerns about possible losses and contract performance. “The Ministry lists items reportedly delivered in 2013. However, it has failed to clarify how many cameras were installed, if any; where they were installed; whether the cameras are currently operational; and whether the project delivered value for money,” it added.
The organisation stressed that full compliance with court judgments is essential for upholding the rule of law and public accountability, particularly in light of Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges. “For a project financed through public borrowing—debt Nigerians continue to repay—full transparency over all beneficiaries, foreign and domestic, is essential,” it stated.
SERAP urged the government to fully implement the court judgment by publishing the names of all Nigerian companies involved, the amounts paid to each contractor, and the status of project execution, including certificates of completion and accounting for the 6,035 undelivered items.
It also noted that the Federal Government had disclosed receiving $399.5 million from the Export-Import Bank of China for the project, with a counterpart funding of $70.5 million, bringing the total to approximately $470 million. According to SERAP, payments were made in installments between 2011 and 2013, with ZTE Corporation of China listed as the main contractor, while Nigerian subcontractors were allegedly involved without clear records of their participation.
SERAP warned that failure to fully comply with the judgment risks undermining judicial authority and denying Nigerians access to information regarding public expenditure.
