Reps Launch Probe Into $460m Chinese CCTV Loan Over Abuja Insecurity

The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the $460 million Chinese loan obtained under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for the installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, a project that remains largely unexecuted more than a decade later.

The decision followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Amobi Ogah, who represents Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State, during Wednesday’s plenary.

Titled “Need to Investigate the Rising Insecurity and Loss of Lives in Abuja Despite the $460m CCTV Project,” the motion sought answers to why the loan-funded security infrastructure has failed to deliver results amid escalating insecurity in the nation’s capital.

Ogah reminded lawmakers that in 2010, the Federal Government secured a $460 million soft loan from the China EXIM Bank, part of a $600 million financing portfolio to install surveillance cameras across strategic points in Abuja. The contract was awarded to ZTE Communications, a Chinese technology firm, after an MoU was signed in Beijing by then-Finance Minister Olusegun Aganga.

However, years later, the project remains largely unaccounted for. “Despite this huge investment and the financial burden Nigeria bears in servicing the loan, the impact of the CCTV project is not felt in any way,” Ogah lamented. “Instead of abating, the crime rate in Abuja has continued to soar, with daily reports of unmonitored criminal activities.”

The lawmaker described the situation as a “lose-lose nightmare” for Nigeria servicing a foreign loan for a non-functional project executed by the very country that financed it.

Other lawmakers echoed similar concerns. Billy Osawaru (Edo) urged the House to intensify its oversight functions, saying, “We must commit to carrying out thorough investigations for the good of Nigerians. Bad governance must be discouraged.”

Ahmad Jaha (Borno) called for a forensic probe into the project’s implementation, noting, “A lot of money was spent to procure CCTVs, but they are nowhere to be found. We must get to the root of this matter, especially as the government continues to service debts from unproductive loans.”

This is not the first time the issue has resurfaced. In 2019, the 9th House of Representatives questioned then-Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed on the project’s status, but her ministry offered little clarity beyond confirming that the loan was still being serviced. In 2023, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Federal Government to publicly disclose how the funds were spent, following a suit by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

Following Wednesday’s debate, the House resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the status of the project, the terms of the loan, and the utilization of the funds. The committee is expected to submit its report for further legislative action.

If properly pursued, the probe could finally shed light on one of Nigeria’s most controversial infrastructure loans — a $460 million deal that promised safety in Abuja but instead became a symbol of opacity, debt, and insecurity.