Lawmakers at the House of Representatives
House of Representatives has initiated a formal investigation into the $460 million spent on the controversial Abuja CCTV project, which has largely remained non-functional more than a decade after funds were disbursed.
At Wednesday’s plenary, lawmakers unanimously agreed to constitute an Ad hoc Committee to probe the project, following a motion presented by Rep. Amobi Ogah (LP–Abia).
While moving the motion, Ogah emphasized that the foremost duty of any government is the protection of lives and property. He lamented that despite the heavy investment, Abuja remains plagued by insecurity and surveillance gaps.
> “More concerned that in spite of this huge investment as well as the financial burden Nigeria is subjected to by way of servicing the loan, the impact of the CCTV is not felt in any manner,” Ogah said.
He recalled that the project was launched under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration with the aim of boosting security by installing surveillance cameras across strategic locations in the Federal Capital Territory. The idea was to deter crime and support law enforcement efforts with real-time monitoring.
Ogah further noted that in 2010, former Finance Minister Dr. Olusegun Aganga led a government delegation to Beijing, where Nigeria signed an MoU with ZTE Communications, a Chinese tech company, for the execution of the project.
Funding was secured through a $460 million loan from China EXIM Bank, drawn from a $600 million soft credit facility. The terms included a 10-year grace period, after which repayment would be spread over another 10 years.
Despite this, Ogah pointed out, there is no visible sign that the system is working, and Abuja continues to experience rising levels of crime.
> “Rather than abating, crime rate has soared in Abuja leading to daily reports of deaths arising from unmonitored crimes,” he said.
He expressed frustration over the current situation in which Nigeria is still repaying a hefty loan for a project that appears to have failed.
> “The current situation whereby Nigeria is paying heavily for this loan obtained from a Chinese bank to execute the non-functional CCTV contract — undertaken curiously, also by a Chinese firm — leaves the country in a lose-lose nightmare,” Ogah told the House.
In response, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, gave the green light for further legislative action, mandating a comprehensive probe into the deal.
The committee is expected to scrutinize all aspects of the project — from contract award and loan disbursement to execution and current status — and submit its findings for further action.
NAN
