The South-East Development Commission (SEDC) has unveiled a 10-year roadmap to transform the region through investments, public-private partnerships and innovative financing.

To achieve this, SEDC with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Thursday organised a high-level roundtable that brought together government leaders, development partners, private sector stakeholders, and civil society to explore aligned strategies for rebuilding the region.

The newly established SEDC, aims to reposition the five South-East states namely; Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo as hubs of enterprise, innovation and investment.

President Tinubu had in 2024, assented to regional development bills including the SEDC bill which followed earlier creation of North-East, Niger Delta, North-West, South-West, South-South, and North-Central Development Commissions.

Speaking at the unveiling in Abuja, the UNDP Resident Representative, Elsie G. Attafuah, had declared that the South-East, with its strong entrepreneurial culture, populace and diaspora support, is positioned to spearhead the nation’s next wave of economic transformation. She echoed the need for collaborative solutions that reflect regional strengths while addressing national challenges.

Attafuah said “The South-East has a proven model of value creation through community structures that emphasize innovation, mentorship and reinvestment.” “Transformation is possible when sub-national actors are empowered, this is a pivot point, not just for the South-East, but for Nigeria as a whole,” she added.

In his address, Engineer Abubakar Momo, the Minister of Regional Development, said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, especially priorities on inclusive growth, infrastructure, and human capital development. He emphasized how the regional Commissions would complement national priorities such as economic reform, infrastructure enhancement, youth empowerment and improved governance.

“This roundtable is not just a conversation, it is a call for action. It offers us a valuable opportunity to deepen our shared understanding and foster collaboration between the regional development commissions and esteemed development partners,” Momo said.

Mark Okoye, the Managing Director of SEDC, who unveiled the commission’s priorities, which include launching the South-East Regional Development Plan by December and setting up innovative financing vehicles like a $1 billion investment company and venture capital fund, emphasized that the commission’s goal is to build “a one-region, one-market economy” that enables ease of doing business across all five states.

“Why are we doing this? Because we want to secure buy-in from MDAs, from the organized private sector, and from the public, to create shared successes. We can’t do it alone.” Okoye said the commission is conducting feasibility studies and crafting projects in power, roads and industrial infrastructure that appeal to both government and private investors.

“If we structure it right, diaspora and institutional investors will come,” he noted.

Speakers and partners like Rural Electrification Agency (REA) acknowledged that the road ahead requires political will, transparent systems and inclusive planning. (Daily Trust)