By Hannah Yemisi
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the timely release of funds due to Nigeria’s Regional Development Commissions, while warning their boards and managements that access to public money must translate into measurable development outcomes. The directive came as the federal government seeks to use the commissions to close persistent regional infrastructure and economic gaps.
DEVELOPMENT:
Tinubu gave the order on Monday while declaring open the first North Central Stakeholders Development Summit organised by the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) in Abuja. He was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume.
“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.
Tinubu said that the commissions were created under his Renewed Hope Agenda to accelerate development and close longstanding gaps, rather than replace or duplicate the responsibilities of federal, state or local governments.
“Rather, it is our way of looking at why development gaps still exist and trying to close them up for the benefit of our people,” he said.
He urged the commissions to pursue roads, rail, aviation, industrialisation, security, investment, education, healthcare and human capital development, while warning against waste and politically driven projects.
“The era of white elephant projects is over and there is no excuse for the Commissions to become another conduit for wasting public funds,” he also said.
DATA:
The North Central summit is anchored on a proposed 20-year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the region. Tinubu also identified agriculture, food production and agro-processing, solid minerals, industrial development, peace and security as areas where the region has significant untapped potential.
The President said that the federal government has intensified surveillance and intelligence gathering, established additional security formations, deployed more personnel, increased criminal prosecutions and supported dialogue and reconciliation.
SIGNIFICANCE:
The directive creates a clearer funding-to-delivery test for the regional commissions. While Tinubu urged them to seek public-private partnerships, donor funding and development finance rather than depend entirely on government allocations, the immediate challenge is ensuring that released funds produce bankable infrastructure and economic projects.
He also warned against corruption, marginalisation, politicisation and ethnicisation, saying, “Such actions will not be tolerated and government will not hesitate to sanction anyone found culpable.”
NEXT MOVE:
The critical issue is implementation. The Ministry of Regional Development is expected to ensure compliance with the Regional Development Policy Document, while the legislature provides oversight. For the NCDC, the proposed 20-year plan must move from summit resolutions to funded projects, execution timelines and measurable outcomes.
Tinubu cautioned against producing another development report that never leaves the shelf.
“This Summit should not end up as one of those platforms where ideas are ventilated and reports generated only to be left dusting on the shelves. The NCDC should show a better example by following through to implementation,” he said.
OUR LENS:
The President’s intervention signals an attempt to turn regional development commissions from distribution mechanisms into delivery institutions. The real policy test will not be how much money reaches them, but whether those funds unlock regional productivity, crowd in private capital and close infrastructure gaps without creating new channels for public-sector waste.
Hannah Yemisi is a reporter of note, reporting on education, business, economic and social developments with a focus on accuracy, context and public relevance.
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