President Bola Tinubu has appointed the chairmen and managing directors for three newly established regional development commissions, marking a significant step towards addressing infrastructure and economic challenges across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
The appointees, announced in a letter to the Senate for confirmation, include Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi for the South West Development Commission (SWDC), Usoro Offiong Akpabio as Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), and Cosmas Akyir as Chairman of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).
The President’s communication to the Senate outlined the nomination of 19 persons for the NCDC, with Cosmas Akyir as chairman and Cyril Yeltsin as managing director.
The SWDC has 18 appointees, led by Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi as chairman and Charles Akindiji Akinola as managing director. Similarly, the SSDC comprises 18 appointees, with Chibudom Nwuche as chairman and Usoro Offiong Akpabio as managing director.
The establishment of these commissions, signed into law earlier this year, aims to foster regional development through targeted infrastructure projects, economic empowerment, and social welfare initiatives. This initiative is expected to drive growth and development across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The SWDC, with a budget of N498.40 billion, is tasked with advancing development in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti states. It has already prioritized railway development, with Adejoke Adebayo-Chukwumah, a South-West director, engaging the Nigerian Railway Corporation to optimize transport infrastructure. This focus on infrastructure development is expected to boost economic activity and improve the quality of life for residents in the region.
The SSDC, covering Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers states, seeks to address environmental and economic challenges in the oil-rich region. Meanwhile, the NCDC will focus on the developmental needs of the North Central zone, though specific projects remain undisclosed.
