Not less than five companies listed as “inactive” on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) portal received a combined N2.6 billion in federal government contract payments between May and June 2026, raising questions about compliance checks in the award and execution of public contracts.
An analysis of federal government payment records published on Govspend shows that Fairdeals Associates Limited, A.A.J. Global Resources Limited, E.O.G Global Services Limited, Ada Abdulrahman Global Investment Limited and Legend Otolorin Construction Limited were among companies that received substantial payments from federal ministries, departments and agencies during the two-month period despite their “inactive” status on the CAC portal.
Fairdeals Associates Limited received three payments totalling N449.5 million from the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta.
The company received N339.03 million on June 19 for the conduct of capacity-building training for 120 Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) stakeholders in Abuja between March 23 and April 10, 2026.
On the same day, the office paid the company another N55.23 million for stakeholder and strategic internal security engagement in Bayelsa and Rivers states for May.
Earlier, on May 11, Fairdeals Associates received N55.23 million for a similar stakeholder and strategic internal security engagement in Bayelsa and Rivers states under the PAP for April.
A.A.J. Global Resources Limited received two payments totalling N368.34 million in June.
The Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority paid the company N259.29 million on June 18 for the establishment and equipping of veterinary clinics and artificial insemination centres within pastoralist communities in Sokoto State.
Also on June 18, the Nigeria Immigration Service paid the company N109.04 million as part payment for the construction and fencing of a 412-metre perimeter at a barracks for officers and men in Greater Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
E.O.G Global Services Limited received N132.95 million from the National Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on June 18.
The payment was linked to the procurement and installation of 300/500 KVA transformers in the Surulere-Itire community of Lagos State under contract reference REA/CP/2024/A092.
Another company, Ada Abdulrahman Global Investment Limited, received three payments totalling N866.72 million from the Federal Medical Centre, Kebbi State.
The payments included N162.99 million for the supply of hospital equipment and furniture, N399.47 million for infrastructure upgrade at Kalgo and a further N304.26 million for another infrastructure upgrade project.
Legend Otolorin Construction Limited received N788.72 million from three federal institutions during the period.
The Energy Commission of Nigeria paid the company N136.29 million on June 18 as a 30 per cent mobilisation fee for the provision of 11 transformers for rural electrification across Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency in Benue State.
On May 10, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security paid N248.48 million, representing 30 per cent of an approved contract sum of N917.92 million, for the construction of surface dressing at Biyak to Kadarko in Plateau State.
The Federal Ministry of Works also paid the company N403.95 million on May 9 as part payment for the completion of the Sanusi Nasarawa Library Building in Kano State.
In total, payments to the five companies amounted to approximately N2.606 billion within the two-month period.
The findings raise questions about the due-diligence processes used by government agencies in verifying the corporate status of contractors before contracts are awarded and payments made.
They also raise questions about whether the companies were listed as inactive at the time the contracts were awarded or payments processed, and whether the relevant procuring entities had undertaken checks against the CAC corporate registry.
The CAC is Nigeria’s official corporate registry and provides a company-search platform through which the public and institutions can verify corporate information, including registration status.
However, an “inactive” designation on the CAC portal does not necessarily mean that a company has been formally dissolved or struck off the register.
The status may arise from regulatory non-compliance, including failure to meet statutory filing requirements such as the submission of annual returns.
The commission has previously stated that failure to comply with statutory requirements can result in a company being reflected as “inactive” on its online platform, while continued non-compliance may attract penalties and ultimately expose the company to the risk of being struck off the register.
CAC has also clarified that companies formally struck off the register are deemed dissolved from the date of publication and that transactions involving a dissolved company are unlawful.
The latest findings therefore highlight the need for greater transparency and stronger verification mechanisms in public procurement, particularly at the stages of contractor selection, contract award, mobilisation and subsequent payments.
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