President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to ensure the release of all funds approved for the regional commissions.
Tinubu made the announcement on Monday at the North Central Development Commission Summit, 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 summit, stated that the creation of regional development commissions was part of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to speed up development nationwide.
“Government will continue to give the NCDC and other Regional Development Commissions the necessary political and financial support to undertake key projects that will unlock the nation’s economic and industrial potential.
“I therefore direct the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ensure that all funds owed to the Commissions are released promptly,” he said.
The President, however, emphasized that the commissions should not depend solely on government funds, urging them to seek public-private partnerships, donor contributions, and development financing for transformative projects.
He stated the commissions should prioritize major projects in rail, air transportation, industrialization, security, investment, human capital development, education, and health.
Tinubu also cautioned the boards and management of the commissions against corruption, marginalization, politicization, and misuse of government resources.
“Such actions will not be tolerated, and the government will not hesitate to take action against anyone found responsible,” he declared.
He clarified that the regional commissions were not meant to replace or duplicate the functions of state and local governments or existing federal agencies.
The President also urged the North Central Development Commission to support efforts to address regional security challenges, stressing that real development can only occur in a stable environment.
Meanwhile, Abdullahi Sule, Governor of Nasarawa State and Chair of the North Central Governors’ Forum, highlighted that the region possessed the human and natural resources necessary to propel economic growth.
Sule emphasized that the region has shown its capabilities in agriculture, mining, and industrial production, and stressed the importance of transitioning from raw material extraction to processing and adding value.
“When you are mining in North Central, you must also process in North Central,” he said.
He pointed to the establishment of a cement factory in Kogi State as an example of how local processing can transform Nigeria’s economy.
Sule also shared that Nasarawa, which had more than 400 steel licenses when he took office in 2019, previously lacked processing plants despite its mineral wealth.
He announced that the state now hosts Nigeria’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.
He called for strong leadership capable of developing and executing long-term plans.
“What do we need more? We need thinkers. We need implementers. We need people who understand what it means to lead,” he stated.
Sule also praised the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, noting that they had increased revenues for federal, state, and local governments.
“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.
Earlier, Cyril Tsenyil, CEO of the North Central Development Commission, explained that the commission’s role was to coordinate regional development and mobilize resources and partnerships, not to replace the six state governments and the Federal Capital Territory.
He stated that the commission’s 20-year plan would focus on developing regional economic corridors, processing agricultural and mineral resources, improving infrastructure, and creating opportunities for young people.
Tsenyil mentioned that the region should aim to become one of Africa’s most competitive agricultural areas rather than just being known as Nigeria’s agricultural hub.
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