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By Ayo Kehinde
The federal government has admitted it does not have detailed documents identifying local Nigerian contractors, subcontractors and other beneficiaries involved in the $460 million Abuja CCTV security project, prompting fresh calls for full disclosure and accountability from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The disclosure is contained in a letter from the Federal Ministry of Finance in response to the contempt proceedings initiated by SERAP over the government’s alleged failure to comply with a Federal High Court ruling ordering transparency in the implementation and financing of the project.
According to the letter dated May 15, 2026 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, RO Omachi, documents obtained from the Ministry of Police Affairs indicated that while local subcontractors “may have been engaged” during the execution of the project, there were no detailed documents identifying specific Nigerian companies that directly received payments from the Chinese loan used to finance the surveillance program.
Reacting to the disclosure, SERAP accused the federal government of only partially complying with the ruling delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite in May 2023 and warned that it would proceed with contempt proceedings unless full details were released within 48 hours.
In a letter dated May 23, 2026 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the anti-corruption organization said Nigerians still do not know the identity of local contractors linked to the project, despite huge public funds allocated to it.
“We are concerned that although the judgment was delivered in May 2023, the Ministry released some information only after we initiated the contempt proceedings and served a notice to file suit in January 2026,” SERAP said.
According to the organization, “Nigerians do not yet know the exact names of the project’s local contractors. The absence of this information raises serious concerns about record-keeping, transparency and accountability, and whether the project has been implemented in a manner consistent with the public interest.”
SERAP argued that the details provided by the government amounted to only partial compliance with the court order, insisting that several crucial questions relating to the Abuja CCTV project remained unanswered.
On May 15, 2023, the Federal High Court ordered the Ministry of Finance to disclose the total amount paid under the Abuja CCTV loan agreement, the identities of the Chinese and Nigerian contractors involved in the project, the implementation status and details of the controversial N1.5 billion paid for the Code of Conduct Office headquarters project.
SERAP noted that despite some disclosures from the Ministry, there was still no explanation regarding the status of thousands of project items that were reportedly unaccounted for.
SERAP also criticized the government for not clarifying how many CCTV cameras were actually installed in Abuja, their location, operational status and whether the project ultimately offered value for money.
According to the civic group, government agencies’ failure to produce comprehensive documents related to the project raises broader concerns about contract administration, public accountability and transparency in the management of borrowed funds.
The organization warned that selective compliance with court orders undermines constitutional governance and weakens public trust in democratic institutions.
SERAP also linked the urgency of the issue to worsening insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory, where the CCTV project was originally conceived as part of efforts to improve surveillance, emergency response and public safety.
According to documents disclosed by the Ministry of Finance, the federal government has received $399.5 million from the Export-Import Bank of China for the National Public Security Communications System, popularly known as the Abuja CCTV project.
The funds were reportedly disbursed in 10 installments between March 2011 and December 2013.
The federal government also contributed an additional $70.5 million through the Ministry of Police Affairs as a counterpart, representing 15% of the project’s total estimated cost of $470 million.
The ministry disclosed that the naira equivalent paid amounted to 10.68 billion naira at the then prevailing exchange rate of 150 naira to a dollar, including a 1% commission charged by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The project’s main contractor was identified as ZTE Corporation, with payments reportedly processed through the Bank of China, Shenzhen Branch.
According to the Ministry, inventory records showed that while 68,005 units were scheduled to be delivered under the project, only 61,970 units were confirmed delivered, leaving 6,035 items unaccounted for.
The delivered items reportedly included GOTA communication phones, data cards, PC servers, LED monitors, cables and related communications infrastructure.
The Ministry also clarified that the controversial $1.5 billion mobilization payment linked to the Code of Conduct Office headquarters project was not part of the Chinese loan agreement that financed the Abuja CCTV programme.
SERAP has now urged the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and the Federal Ministry of Finance to urgently and fully implement the ruling of the Federal High Court by publishing the names of all Nigerian companies, subcontractors, consultants and suppliers involved in the project.
The organization also requested disclosure of payments made to each contractor, the nature of services rendered, certificates of completion, and full accounting of the 6,035 items listed as undelivered under the project.
SERAP argued that Nigerians deserve full transparency on how public funds borrowed in the name of national security were spent and whether the Abuja CCTV project achieved its intended purpose of improving security in the Federal Capital Territory and the country at large.
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