Cargo survey contractors engaged by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have raised concerns over the prolonged delay in receiving their contract payments, despite fulfilling their obligations since 2024.

The contractors, who won bids through a competitive process, accused the agency, which operates under the supervision of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, of failing to meet financial commitments.

According to sources, repeated appeals to Mr. Oyetola and NPA leadership have not yielded results, causing distress among firms that have invested billions of naira in executing port-related contracts.

“We have submitted invoices covering vessels and their quantities to respective port managers for certification,” one of the contractors revealed.

“These invoices were processed and forwarded to NPA headquarters in Marina, Lagos, but payments remain stalled.”

The source further explained that invoices for services completed since June 2024 had been approved by the necessary departments but had not received final payment authorisation.

“All invoices are documented on the Managing Director’s table, yet subsequent ones continue piling up without approval,” the contractor added, urging the authorities to act swiftly.

The contractors argue that the delays threaten their operations and could harm President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to strengthen Nigeria’s economic outlook.

Oyetola’s Associate Defends Minister’s Role

However, an associate of Mr. Oyetola dismissed claims that the minister was responsible for the payment delays.

“The minister has no role in NPA’s daily operations,” the associate clarified.

“In fact, Mr. Oyetola recently led the NPA’s management to meet with the Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to push for contractor payments.”

He suggested that the holdup was likely due to the Ministry of Finance’s delayed release of funds rather than Mr. Oyetola's interference.

“The man actively working to resolve the issue cannot be described as an impediment,” he argued.

As contractors continue to await their payments, industry stakeholders urge the federal government to prioritise settling outstanding debts to sustain confidence in the sector.