SERAP Demands FG Disclose $460m Abuja CCTV Project Contractors

ABUJA — The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has demanded that the Federal Government publicly disclose all local contractors and their payment details for the $460 million Abuja CCTV project. SERAP made the demand in a formal statement released on Sunday, citing a lack of transparency and public accountability.

The Abuja CCTV surveillance project is one of the most expensive security infrastructure investments in Nigeria’s history. It was designed to install thousands of cameras across the Federal Capital Territory to improve urban surveillance, crime prevention, and emergency response. However, the project has faced persistent questions about its procurement process and the identity of contractors involved.

SERAP Executive Director Kolawole Oluwadare said Nigerians deserve to know who is benefiting from government contracts of this scale. He said full disclosure of contractor identities and payments is a legal obligation under Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act.

“A $460 million project funded with public money must be fully transparent. Nigerians have a right to know who received contracts, how much they were paid, and what they delivered. Secrecy around public contracts is a breeding ground for corruption,” Oluwadare said.

What Is Known About the CCTV Project

The Abuja CCTV project has been in various stages of planning and execution for several years. Multiple federal agencies including the FCT Administration, the Nigerian Police Force, and the Office of the National Security Adviser have been involved in different aspects of the project.

Critics have long questioned whether the project has delivered value for money. A city-wide CCTV network of the scale originally planned would require thousands of cameras, a central monitoring infrastructure, trained operators, and reliable electricity. Several of these components have reportedly faced implementation challenges.

Furthermore, similar large-scale security infrastructure projects in Nigeria have a mixed track record. The Safe City Lagos project and various state-level surveillance initiatives have often delivered less than was promised due to maintenance failures, power outages, and incomplete installation.

Government Yet to Respond

The Federal Capital Territory Administration and the relevant security agencies had not formally responded to SERAP’s demand as of Monday morning. The FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has previously defended infrastructure investments in Abuja but has not addressed specific questions about the CCTV project’s contractor details.

SERAP said it will take legal action if the government does not respond within 14 days. The organization has successfully used freedom of information litigation in the past to compel government disclosure on several high-profile procurement matters.

Civil society groups and investigative journalists have welcomed SERAP’s demand. They said transparency in security contracts is especially important because the secrecy often justified on national security grounds is frequently abused to conceal corruption rather than protect genuine intelligence interests.