FG to produce national regional development plan as Minister urges all commissions to emulate NDDC

A national framework for regional development plans is in the making. By this, the Federal Government is to produce one national regional blueprint that would cover each region.

Abubakar Momoh, Minister of Regional Development, has already urged the regional development commissions to emulate the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in producing master plans to be harmonised into a regional development compass.

Momoh, who gave the charge during the NDDC 2026 Partners for Sustainable Development (PSD) Conference at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that each development commission was expected to derive its master plan and operational agenda from it, in line with the Ministry’s mandate to coordinate regional development.

The Minister said the FG was working to harmonise regional development initiatives across Nigeria through a new policy framework to promote coordinated and inclusive growth nationwide.

Momoh praised the NDDC board and management for convening the partnership and sustainable development conference, describing it as timely and necessary. The Minister observed that no single institution could manage the Niger Delta region’s complex challenges alone.

He emphasised that the region’s progress depended not only on what each stakeholder does, but on how they plan, invest, and act together, adding that President Bola Tinubu’s government remained committed to programmes that expand opportunities, strengthen livelihoods, protect vulnerable communities, and provide lasting prosperity.

Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo State, stressed the need for the governors of the nine oil-producing states to partner with NDDC for sustainable development in the region.

Uzodinma was represented by Chinyere Ekomaru, his deputy, who pledged support for President Tinubu.

Samuel Ogbuku, the NDDC MD, stressed the importance of engaging stakeholders to develop strategies for economic growth and development in the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku declared: “The importance of stakeholders’ engagement is to ensure that projects and activities of government are well understood by the people to create room for synergy.”

The NDDC boss stated that the 1.2-kilometre Kaa-Ataba Bridge linking the Khana Local Government Area to the Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State would be named after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Ogbuku talked of buy-in and confidence-building. “In this respect, we have established processes to ensure that a new institutional culture, anchored in sound ethics and good corporate governance, is in place.”

He said: “KPMG, a reputable global business consultancy, has reviewed our processes to strengthen our corporate governance system. We now have a robust Corporate Governance structure that fosters accountability and transparency, backed by a clear and measurable set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track progress toward goals.”

He remarked: “Through engagement, the NDDC aims to foster partnerships to leverage collective strengths, overcome challenges, and avoid working at cross-purposes.”

Chiedu Ebie, Chairman of the NDDC board, said the Commission adopted a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the Governance Advisory Policies, as approved by the Commission’s Governing Board.

He stated that the SOP and Governance Advisory Policies shall constitute the Commission’s Rule Book and strictly guide all processes and operations within the Commission.

According to a press statement issued by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director, Corporate Affairs, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Asuquo Ekpenyong, said the Senate Committee would continue to strengthen oversight to ensure transparency, efficiency, and timely delivery of projects across the Niger Delta region.