Abuja — Naija247news: The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the controversial $460 million Chinese loan secured for the Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) project, a decade-old security initiative that has yet to deliver on its promise of safeguarding Nigeria’s capital city.
The probe follows the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Amobi Ogah (LP–Abia) during Wednesday’s plenary session, amid growing concerns over the country’s mounting debt obligations and persistent insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to Ogah, the Abuja CCTV project was conceived during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan to bolster surveillance, aid crime prevention, and provide intelligence support to law enforcement agencies.
He recalled that in 2010, the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, led a Nigerian delegation to Beijing, China, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ZTE Communications, the Chinese firm contracted to execute the project.
The project, Ogah explained, was financed through a $460 million facility provided by the China Exim Bank, drawn from a larger $600 million credit line extended to Nigeria as a concessional loan. The loan was structured with a 10-year grace period and a 10-year repayment window, totaling 20 years.
“Despite this substantial investment and years of repayment, the project has failed to meet its core objective of improving security in Abuja,” Ogah lamented.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the capital city continues to face frequent security breaches — including kidnappings, carjackings, and terrorist attacks — with no visible evidence that the CCTV infrastructure is operational or serving its intended purpose.
House Orders Multi-Committee Investigation
Following extensive deliberations, the House mandated its Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Finance, and Public Accounts to conduct a comprehensive investigation into:
- The procurement process and disbursement of the $460 million loan;
- The contract execution and delivery status by ZTE Communications;
- The technical and operational state of the Abuja CCTV infrastructure;
- And the extent of loan repayment made by the Nigerian government to date.
The committees are to report back to the House for further legislative action and potential recommendations to the Federal Government on recovery measures or sanctions for contract default.
A Legacy of Failed Surveillance Projects
The Abuja CCTV initiative, once touted as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s urban security architecture, has long been shrouded in controversy. Despite public funds and foreign loans committed to the project, residents of the FCT say most of the cameras have never functioned or were vandalized shortly after installation.
Successive governments have repeatedly promised to revive the system — including a 2019 pledge by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to overhaul the network in collaboration with Chinese partners — yet tangible progress has remained elusive.
Security experts say the failure of the CCTV project exemplifies a broader pattern of unaccountable foreign borrowing and abandoned infrastructure that continues to burden Nigeria’s public finances.
“It is deeply troubling that Nigeria continues to repay debts for a project that has not improved national security,” one analyst told Naija247news, describing the Abuja CCTV deal as “a case study in waste and weak oversight.”
Debt Overhang and Rising Insecurity
The investigation comes at a time when Nigeria’s total public debt has surpassed ₦121 trillion, with Chinese loans accounting for over $5 billion of the portfolio. Critics argue that many of these bilateral facilities have failed to deliver measurable economic or social returns.
For Abuja residents, the promise of safer streets remains distant — and the mystery surrounding the multi-million-dollar CCTV project a symbol of governance failure.
📌 Editor’s Note: For content partnerships and collaborations, reach out via editor@naija247news.com
Naija247news Media Group LLC is committed to ethical, independent journalism that serves the public interest. Our editorial process prioritizes accuracy, fairness, and transparency in reporting. All content is fact-checked and held to the highest standards of integrity. Learn more in our full editorial policy here.
© 2025 Naija247news Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from Naija247news Media Group LLC.
Reporting by Samuel Gbenga Salau in Lagos, Nigeria.
