A powerful lobby of indigenous contractors has issued a stark warning to the Nigerian presidency: Pay up, or lose the grassroots. The "Local Content Advocacy Group" cautioned President Bola Tinubu that the continued non-payment of local firms for completed federal projects is creating an economic crisis that could derail his 2027 re-election bid.

The group alleges that while foreign multinationals are paid promptly, Nigerian firms are owed billions of Naira, leading to mass layoffs and bankruptcies. "You cannot preach 'Buy Naija' while killing Naija businesses," said the group's coordinator, Alhaji Musa Yusuf.

The Economic Ripple Effect

The non-payment crisis has frozen liquidity in the construction sector. Banks are seizing assets from contractors who defaulted on loans, and thousands of laborers have been sent home without pay. This dissatisfaction is trickling down to the voters.

• The Political Cost: Local contractors are key political financiers and mobilizers. Alienating them cuts off a vital artery of the APC's machine. "If we have no money, we cannot mobilize," Yusuf warned.
• The Minister's Role: The group accused certain ministers of demanding kickbacks before processing payments, a charge the Presidency has promised to investigate. They are demanding a "sovereign debt note" to guarantee payments.

A Test of "Renewed Hope"

For Tinubu, whose "Renewed Hope" agenda relies on infrastructure, this is a critical test. If the local engines of construction stall, the visible signs of his administration's success will vanish. The warning is clear: infrastructure builds nations, but payments build loyalty.