What to Do When a Contractor Abandons Your Job in Nigeria

Few things are as infuriating as a contractor who collects your money and vanishes. Whether it's a building contractor who finished only the foundation, a plumber who installed half the pipes, or a carpenter who took your deposit and never returned your calls — contractor abandonment is one of the most common disputes in Nigeria.

Part of what makes it so common is the payment culture: Nigerians often pay contractors a large upfront percentage before work begins, giving unscrupulous contractors leverage to disappear once they have the money. But having no written contract, or having already paid, does not mean you have no options.

Here's what to do, step by step.

Types of Contractor Disputes This Applies To

This guide covers any situation where you hired someone to perform a service, paid them — fully or partially — and they:

• Stopped work without completing the job and are not responding
• Completed the job but delivered work that is clearly below the agreed standard
• Collected payment for materials or services they never provided
• Overcharged beyond what was agreed without justification
• Caused damage to your property and refuse to compensate for it
• Disappeared after receiving advance payment for a job not yet started

This includes building contractors, interior decorators, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, tilers, generators and AC technicians, and any other artisan or service provider.

Why This Is Hard to Recover From on Your Own

When a contractor goes quiet, the usual response is to keep calling, then get frustrated, then try to find them through mutual contacts. This almost never works. Contractors who have already taken money and are avoiding you have a strong incentive to keep avoiding you — unless they face a formal, credible consequence.

Court is technically an option, but small claims disputes (under ₦5 million) in Magistrate Courts still take months to years, require filing fees and possibly a lawyer, and many people give up before the case concludes. The time and emotional energy cost is usually worth more than the money being disputed.

What actually works is creating a paper trail of formal demands and then escalating to mediation — where a certified third party formally contacts the contractor on your behalf. The formality changes the dynamic. Most contractors respond to a mediation invitation when they wouldn't respond to a hundred WhatsApp messages.

Step 1: Document Everything Immediately

Before you do anything else, build your evidence file:

• Photographs and video — Take detailed photos of the site or work, showing exactly what is and isn't complete. Date-stamped photos are stronger. Do this now, before anything changes.
• Payment records — Bank transfer receipts, mobile money screenshots, POS receipts. If you paid cash, look for any acknowledgment message from the contractor afterward.
• The original agreement — Written contract if you have one. If not, WhatsApp messages or voice notes where the work scope, price, and timeline were agreed count as evidence.
• Communications — Screenshots of all messages and call logs showing your attempts to reach the contractor after they stopped work.
• Quotes from another contractor — Get at least one written quote for completing the unfinished work. This establishes the financial value of what you're owed.

Step 2: Calculate What You Are Owed

Be clear and specific about your claim. You are owed one of the following:

• A refund of the overpayment — the amount you paid minus the fair value of work actually completed
• Compensation for completion costs — the additional amount you will have to pay a new contractor to finish the job
• Cost of rectification — if the work was done poorly, the cost of fixing or redoing it
• Compensation for consequential loss — if the abandonment caused you additional damage (a leaking roof that damaged your possessions, for example)

Write down a specific amount. Vague claims like "he stole my money" are harder to resolve than "I paid ₦450,000, work completed is worth ₦120,000 by a second contractor's assessment, and I am claiming ₦330,000 plus the cost of repairing the cracked tiles he left."

Step 3: Send a Formal Written Demand

Before filing for mediation, send a formal demand. This can be a WhatsApp message or email, but it must be clear and specific:

• State exactly what was agreed — the work scope and the total amount paid
• State what was not delivered
• State the specific amount you are claiming
• Give a deadline — typically 7 to 14 days to respond or make payment
• State that failure to respond will result in you filing a formal mediation or legal claim

This message matters for two reasons. First, it gives the contractor a genuine final opportunity to fix things without formal escalation. Second, it creates a paper trail showing a court or mediator that you gave them notice before escalating.

Step 4: File for Mediation

If the deadline passes without a satisfactory response, file a mediation case. Here's what happens:

1. You submit your claim — the amount, the facts, and your documentation
2. A certified mediator is assigned and reviews the basics of your case
3. A formal mediation invitation is sent to the contractor — by phone, email, and WhatsApp
4. The contractor is given a set number of days to respond
5. Both parties participate in a structured mediation session
6. If agreement is reached, a signed settlement agreement is produced — binding and enforceable

The formal invitation from a mediation platform is significantly more compelling than a WhatsApp message from the client. Most contractors who have been ignoring calls respond when they receive a formal mediation notice. Those who don't respond lose by default in mediation, and you have a documented paper trail for court.

What If There Was No Written Contract?

No written contract does not mean no rights. Nigerian law recognises verbal and implied contracts. Your bank receipt, the WhatsApp messages where you agreed on a price, the photos of the partial work, and the contractor's presence on your property as a hired worker are all evidence of a contractual relationship.

You don't need a signed agreement to prove a contractor took money for a job they didn't complete. You just need enough evidence to establish what was agreed and what was actually delivered.

What Mediation Can Resolve

A mediated settlement with a contractor can include:

• A refund of overpaid amounts — in full or on a payment plan
• An agreed timeline for the contractor to complete the remaining work
• A combination — partial refund plus commitment to complete specific remaining items
• Compensation for defective work and the cost of rectification