Stalled contracts delay $25M+ worth of projects in Iraq’s Najaf
Shafaq News – Najaf
Several projects remain delayed in Najaf, south-central Iraq, despite expired contracts, with stalled works valued at over 40 billion Iraqi dinars (about $28M), according to Taif Al-Hatemi, head of the Provincial Council’s Reconstruction Committee.
Speaking to Shafaq News on Sunday, Al-Hatemi said that the province is implementing more than 160 major service projects across the city center and its districts, noting that some components have been completed while others are proceeding in stages.
Read more: Funding freeze hits key projects as Iraq waits for 2025 budget
He pointed out that the projects cover road paving, bridges, government facilities, sewage networks, water and electricity systems, and extensive street upgrades, with the largest contracts — including the Zarqa water project, a long-delayed potable water supply scheme serving parts of Najaf city and surrounding districts, awarded more than 13 years ago — overseen by the Ministry of Municipalities.
Najaf, he added, has increasingly relied on alternative funding, particularly revenue from Najaf International Airport, to finance infrastructure such as the airport overpass, the extended road to Kufa, and Al-Maamal Street, while the municipality continues road expansion and resurfacing in multiple areas.
Al-Hatemi also warned that no new projects have been approved for six months and expects the suspension to continue for at least another six due to the absence of financial allocations, delaying both the general budget and district-level priorities.
Read more: Deficit soars, projects freeze: Iraq heads into 2026 with NO BUDGET
