The House of Representatives has announced plans to investigate the $460 million Chinese loan secured for the installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) a project that has remained largely unimplemented more than a decade after its approval.
The decision followed a motion raised during plenary, expressing concern over the lack of accountability and transparency surrounding the project, which was meant to enhance national security and surveillance within Abuja.
Lawmakers noted that despite the substantial loan obtained from the Export-Import Bank of China, the CCTV project has failed to deliver visible results, leaving many parts of the FCT without functional surveillance infrastructure.
“It is alarming that after years and hundreds of millions of dollars in borrowed funds, Abuja still lacks the basic security technology that this project was meant to provide,” one lawmaker lamented during the session.
The House resolved to mandate its Committees on National Security, Finance, and Public Accounts to jointly investigate the loan’s disbursement, project implementation, and the roles played by all relevant ministries, departments, and contractors involved.
The probe aims to determine how the funds were utilized, why the project stalled, and whether the terms of the loan agreement were fully complied with.
This renewed inquiry comes amid growing public outrage over Nigeria’s mounting external debts and concerns about the mismanagement of foreign loans.
Analysts say the outcome of the probe could have far-reaching implications for future government borrowing and transparency in public procurement.
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