Federal Government Faces Transparency Questions Over $460m Abuja CCTV Contract
FG Under Pressure to Disclose Beneficiaries of Abuja CCTV Project Funds
The Federal Government has disclosed that it does not possess detailed records identifying local contractors involved in the $460 million Abuja CCTV project, a development that has intensified scrutiny over transparency and accountability in one of Nigeria’s largest public security infrastructure initiatives.
The disclosure emerged in correspondence between the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), following ongoing legal efforts by the civic organisation to compel full disclosure of contractors, payments, and implementation details linked to the National Public Security Communication System project, commonly known as the Abuja CCTV project.
/ You Might Also Like /
According to the Ministry of Finance, records obtained from the Ministry of Police Affairs indicate that local subcontractors “may have been engaged” during the implementation of the project. However, the ministry stated that it lacks detailed subcontracting records identifying the specific Nigerian companies that received payments from the Chinese loan used to finance the initiative.
SERAP Pushes for Full Disclosure
SERAP has criticised the government’s response, arguing that the absence of contractor records raises significant concerns regarding public accountability, procurement oversight, and financial transparency.
In a letter dated 23 May 2026 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation stated that Nigerians still do not know the identities of local companies, consultants, subcontractors, and vendors that benefited from the project. SERAP described the ministry’s disclosure as partial compliance with an earlier Federal High Court judgment delivered in May 2023.
The judgment ordered the Federal Ministry of Finance to disclose key details relating to the Abuja CCTV project, including the total amount paid under the loan agreement, the identities of contractors, the status of implementation, and details surrounding associated public expenditure.
SERAP stated that the government only released limited information after contempt proceedings were initiated earlier this year, following what the organisation described as prolonged non-compliance with the court ruling.
Breakdown of the Abuja CCTV Project Financing
The Federal Ministry of Finance confirmed that Nigeria received approximately $399.5 million from the Export-Import Bank of China between 2011 and 2013 to fund the surveillance initiative. The Nigerian government also contributed approximately $70.5 million as counterpart funding, bringing the total project value to about $470 million.
According to the ministry, the principal contractor for the project was Chinese telecommunications company ZTE Corporation, while payments were processed through the Bank of China’s Shenzhen branch.
The ministry further disclosed that the naira equivalent of the counterpart funding amounted to approximately ₦10.68 billion, calculated at an exchange rate of ₦150 to the dollar, including a one percent commission paid to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Questions Over Missing Equipment and Operational Status
Beyond the contractor disclosure issue, SERAP has also raised concerns over discrepancies in project inventory records.
According to information released by the ministry, 61,970 equipment units were reportedly delivered under the project out of an expected 68,005 units, leaving 6,035 items unaccounted for. The missing inventory reportedly includes communications equipment and related surveillance infrastructure.
SERAP argued that the government has yet to clarify whether the undelivered items were paid for, recovered, or subsequently supplied. The organisation also questioned whether the CCTV infrastructure became fully operational and whether the project achieved its intended public safety objectives in Abuja.
The organisation noted that despite the significant investment in surveillance infrastructure, insecurity remains a persistent challenge in the Federal Capital Territory and several parts of the country.
Transparency and Public Procurement Concerns
The Abuja CCTV project has remained a subject of public debate for years, particularly regarding project execution, operational effectiveness, and debt accountability. The project was originally conceived as a major urban security initiative designed to strengthen surveillance capabilities, improve emergency response systems, and enhance public safety in Abuja.
Governance analysts have consistently identified record keeping and procurement transparency as recurring challenges in major public infrastructure projects in Nigeria. The latest disclosure from the Ministry of Finance is likely to intensify calls for stricter documentation standards, stronger oversight mechanisms, and improved public disclosure requirements for projects financed through sovereign borrowing.
SERAP has given the Federal Ministry of Finance a fresh deadline to provide complete details of all local contractors and beneficiaries linked to the project. The organisation warned that failure to comply fully with the court judgment could result in continued contempt proceedings.
Broader Implications for Public Accountability
The controversy surrounding the Abuja CCTV project reflects broader concerns about transparency in the management of publicly financed infrastructure projects in Nigeria.
With public debt obligations continuing to rise and infrastructure financing increasingly tied to external borrowing arrangements, policy experts argue that full disclosure of procurement processes, contractors, and implementation outcomes has become critical for strengthening investor confidence and public trust.
The Federal Government’s acknowledgement that it lacks detailed subcontracting records may further fuel debate over institutional accountability, contract administration standards, and long-term governance reforms within Nigeria’s public procurement framework.
READ MORE
