By Billy Young l May 24, 2026
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has accused the Nigerian government of failing to maintain proper records relating to local contractors involved in the controversial $460 million Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) project, despite years of public scrutiny and court rulings demanding transparency.
According to reports by SERAP, the administration of President Bola Tinubu informed the organisation that it could not locate records identifying local contractors connected to the Abuja CCTV contract. The anti-corruption group described the development as deeply troubling, especially given the scale of public funds tied to the long-running security project.
The Abuja CCTV project, originally awarded during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was designed to improve security surveillance across Nigeria’s capital city through the installation of hundreds of cameras at strategic locations. However, the project has remained controversial for over a decade following allegations of abandoned infrastructure, non-functional equipment, procurement irregularities, and poor accountability.
Investigations conducted in previous years by Nigeria’s House of Representatives revealed that many of the surveillance cameras allegedly installed under the project were either non-functional or never properly deployed. Lawmakers had also questioned discrepancies surrounding the project’s total cost, procurement process, and operational status.
SERAP stated that the government’s inability to produce records of local contractors raises fresh concerns about transparency and possible corruption linked to the contract. The organisation has repeatedly demanded full disclosure of payments made to both Chinese and Nigerian companies involved in the project, citing a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the government to release such information.
Court records indicate that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had previously directed the federal government to publish details regarding the total amount paid to contractors and the implementation status of the CCTV initiative. Despite the judgment, critics say little progress has been made toward public accountability.
The issue resurfaced recently after lawmakers in the House of Representatives announced plans to reopen investigations into the controversial contract. Public reactions have intensified amid worsening insecurity in parts of the Federal Capital Territory and growing questions over how billions of naira allocated for security infrastructure were utilised.
Analysts say the Abuja CCTV controversy has become symbolic of broader concerns regarding abandoned public projects, weak institutional record-keeping, and accountability failures in Nigeria’s public sector.
The report was first published by Sahara Reporters.