By President Bola Tinubu has directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to ensure that all approved funds for regional development commissions are released without delay.
Tinubu gave the instruction on Monday at the North Central Development Commission Summit in Abuja, themed “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic Infrastructure and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region.”
Akume, who represented the President at the event, said the creation of regional development commissions forms part of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to speed up development across the country. “Government will continue to give the NCDC and other Regional Development Commissions the political and financial backing to embark on key projects that will unlock the economic and industrial potentials of the nation. I therefore direct the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ensure that all funds accruable to the Commissions are released as and when due,” he said.
Beyond Government Funding
While pledging continued backing, Tinubu urged the commissions not to depend solely on government allocations, encouraging them instead to pursue public-private partnerships, donor funding and other development financing options for major projects. He said the commissions are expected to prioritise rail, air transportation, industrialisation, security, investment, human capital development, education and health.
The President also issued a stern warning to the boards and management of the commissions against corruption, marginalisation, politicisation and misuse of public resources. “Such actions will not be tolerated, and government will not hesitate to sanction anyone found culpable,” he said.
Tinubu clarified that the regional commissions were never meant to replace or duplicate the roles of state and local governments or existing federal institutions. He also stressed that the North Central Development Commission should help address the region’s security challenges, noting that meaningful development can only happen in a stable environment.
Regional Leaders Weigh In
Nasarawa State Governor and Chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum, Abdullahi Sule, said the region has the human and natural resources needed to drive real economic growth. He pointed to the region’s track record in agriculture, mining and industrial production, arguing that North Central Nigeria needs to shift from simply extracting raw materials toward processing and adding value locally.
“When you are mining in North Central, you must also process in North Central,” Sule said, citing a cement factory established in Kogi State as proof that local processing can transform the economy.
He recalled that Nasarawa State had over 400 steel licences when he took office in 2019 but lacked any processing plant despite its mineral wealth. Since then, he said, the state has become home to the country’s largest and second-largest lithium processing plants.
“The North Central is the home of Benue cement. The North Central is the home of rice production. The North Central is the home of sesame production. So we have it all. Whatever it is that we are looking for, we have it,” Sule said, adding that what the region truly needs is capable leadership. “What do we need more? We need thinkers. We need implementers. We need people who understand what it means to lead,” he said.
Sule also praised the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, crediting them with boosting revenue available to all three tiers of government. “Today, we are paying salaries without borrowing money from the bank. Even if you hate him, you cannot hate his policies. Even if you disagree with him, you cannot disagree with his policies. And that is the only way we can build,” he said.
Commission’s Long-Term Vision
Earlier at the summit, Chief Executive Officer of the North Central Development Commission, Cyril Tsenyil, explained that the commission’s role is to coordinate regional development and mobilise resources and partnerships, rather than replace the six state governments and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the commission’s 20-year plan will focus on developing regional economic corridors, processing agricultural and mineral resources, upgrading infrastructure and creating opportunities for young people. Tsenyil added that the region should aim to become one of Africa’s most competitive agricultural zones, rather than being known simply as Nigeria’s agricultural hub.
