The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under its Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, paid a total of ₦10.648 billion to CGC Nigeria Limited in two tranches during Christmas week in 2025 for the construction of the agency’s Abuja campus, according to government payment records obtained by SaharaReporters.
The payments, made on December 25 and December 27, 2025, were described in the government records as payments toward a 30% mobilisation fee for the project.
The transactions raise questions about compliance with Nigeria’s public procurement law because Section 35 of the Public Procurement Act 2007 provides that a mobilisation fee of not more than 15% may be paid to a supplier or contractor, subject to stipulated guarantees.
The law further provides that once a mobilisation fee has been paid, no further payment should be made to the supplier or contractor without an interim performance certificate issued in accordance with the contract agreement.
The records obtained by SaharaReporters show that NASENI transferred ₦5.648 billion to CGC Nigeria Limited on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, describing the transaction as the “Bal Payment for the 30% Mobilization fee” for the construction of the NASENI campus in Abuja.
Two days later, on December 27, another ₦5 billion was transferred to the same company.
That second payment was described as “Part Payment for the 30% Mobilization fee” for the same project.
Together, the two transactions amounted to ₦10,648,555,777.94.
Christmas Day ₦5.648bn payment
The first payment record obtained by SaharaReporters is identified as Payment #1001367629-1.
The details are as follows: Payment Number: #1001367629-1
Amount: ₦5,648,555,777.94
Description: “Being Bal Payment for the 30% Mobilization fee for the Construction of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Campus in Abuja.”
Payer Code: 0111057001
Organisation: National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI)
Beneficiary: CGC Nigeria Limited
Date: December 25, 2025.
The transaction therefore occurred on Christmas Day, a date that was also within the final week of the 2025 financial year.
Another ₦5bn two days later
On December 27, 2025, NASENI made another payment of ₦5 billion to CGC Nigeria Limited.
The second record is identified as Payment #1001368651-1.
It contains the following details: Payment Number: #1001368651-1
Amount: ₦5,000,000,000.00
Description: “Being Part Payment for the 30% Mobilization fee for the Construction of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Campus in Abuja.”
Payer Code: 0111057001
Organisation: National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI)
Beneficiary: CGC Nigeria Limited
Date: December 27, 2025.
The two payments were therefore made only 48 hours apart, with the December 25 transaction described as the balance of the 30% mobilisation fee and the December 27 transaction described as a part payment of the same 30% mobilisation fee.
This sequencing raises questions requiring clarification from NASENI and the contractor, particularly why a transaction described as the balance of a mobilisation fee was followed two days later by another payment described as part payment of the same mobilisation fee.
Under Section 35(1) of the Public Procurement Act 2007, a mobilisation fee of not more than 15% may be paid to a supplier or contractor, subject to the prescribed conditions and guarantees.
However, if the government records accurately reflect the contractual arrangement and the two payments were indeed mobilisation payments forming part of a 30% mobilisation fee, the arrangement appears to raise a direct question of compliance with the statutory 15% ceiling.
The Act also states under Section 35(2) that after a mobilisation fee has been paid, “no further payment shall be made” to the supplier or contractor without an interim performance certificate issued in accordance with the contract agreement.
CGC Nigeria Limited is a Chinese-linked construction company operating in Nigeria and involved in infrastructure projects across the country. Public information identifies the company as operating in areas including highways, bridges, water supply, dams, irrigation, airports, real estate and other engineering and construction activities.
Halilu became the EVC/CEO of NASENI in September 2023, succeeding Bashir Gwandu. NASENI’s own publication records that Halilu assumed office on September 4, 2023.
When SaharaReporters contacted Chima Akwaja, Deputy Director of Information at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), he said the questions had been forwarded to the agency’s Director of Information, New Media and Protocol. He added that the reporter would soon be contacted “with the requisite information”.
Several hours later, at the time of publication, NASENI had not responded to the questions.