ABUJA, September 16, 2026 — The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has concluded its maiden North Central Stakeholders Development Summit with participants adopting a seven-point communiqué aimed at accelerating the region’s economic, infrastructural and social transformation over the next two decades.
The two-day summit, held in Abuja under the theme, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region,” brought together stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for unlocking the region’s vast development potential.
The communiqué, read by NCDC Executive Director, Finance and Chairman of the Technical Committee, Prof. Muhammad Bashar Nuhu, identified seven priority areas: economic development, infrastructure, social development, security, climate and environment, digital economy, and sustainable financing and institutional delivery.
Participants observed that the North Central possesses extensive agricultural land, water, mineral and energy resources, human capital, markets and strategic geographical advantages, but noted that these assets have not consistently translated into commensurate productivity, income, industrial growth and improved social outcomes.
On economic development, the Summit recommended that NCDC establish a GIS-enabled regional economic database and conduct state-by-state mapping of comparative advantages, productive assets, farms, land, water resources, crops, minerals, infrastructure gaps and investment opportunities.
It further called for state-specific agricultural and livestock value chains covering quality inputs, mechanisation, irrigation, farmer capacity building, storage, processing, packaging, branding, logistics and exports.
The Summit also recommended the sequencing of priority projects into bankable “quick wins” capable of attracting investment and generating measurable economic impact.
For infrastructure, participants proposed an integrated North Central infrastructure programme connecting the six states and the Federal Capital Territory through strategic roads, railways, inland waterways and logistics systems.
They called for the rehabilitation and completion of transport corridors that can unlock agricultural production, markets and investment, with particular attention to high-impact routes such as the Abuja–Lokoja Road.
Participants also recommended assessing the phased feasibility of regional rail connectivity, Baro inland-port logistics, dry-port connections and modern freight systems.
The Summit called for the creation of a disaggregated regional human-capital and social-inclusion data system covering children, youths, women, persons with disabilities, indigent households and rural communities.
It recommended a safe and inclusive education framework to reduce school dropout, address teacher shortages, improve affordability and learning outcomes, and expand access to facilities, learning materials and support for persons with disabilities.
On security, participants proposed a coordinated regional security and peacebuilding framework to complement the work of statutory security institutions through timely intelligence sharing, community engagement, early warning mechanisms and inter-state coordination.
They also advocated the lawful and responsible use of satellite imagery, drones, geospatial systems and other technology-enabled intelligence tools, supported by appropriate safeguards and operational response protocols.
The Summit proposed a North Central Climate and Disaster Resilience Programme, beginning with geo-referenced mapping of flood, erosion, drought, mining and other environmental hazards.
The programme is expected to incorporate community risk profiles, early-warning systems and evacuation protocols, alongside interventions targeting flooding and erosion through desilting, drainage clearing, protection of waterways and erosion control.
Participants also called for stronger enforcement against unsafe developments along flood corridors.
On digital development, the Summit urged NCDC to establish an inclusive regional digital infrastructure programme to expand broadband connectivity and affordable digital access across the six states, the FCT, local governments, wards and underserved rural communities.
It recommended the establishment of AI, digital-skills and teacher-training centres across the Mandate States, beginning with functional computer-enabled facilities in primary schools and progressively expanding technology-supported education.
As part of efforts to unlock the region’s agricultural and entrepreneurial potential, NCDC also signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
The agreements followed months of engagements between NCDC and the two agencies and are designed to leverage their expertise, structures and experience to strengthen agriculture, entrepreneurship and enterprise development across the North Central.
NCDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, NIRSAL Executive Director, Ewaen Imohe, and SMEDAN Director General, Charles Odii, pledged to work together towards making the region more economically productive and viable.
The Chairman of the NCDC Governing Board, Barr. Cosmas Akighir, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Regional Development, Dr. Mary Ogbe, expressed support for the partnerships and pledged appropriate oversight.
The Summit noted that public funding alone would not be sufficient to achieve the region’s development ambitions.
It therefore recommended matching financing instruments to the economic and public value of individual projects, with commercially viable projects attracting private investment, projects with strong economic benefits but weaker initial returns benefiting from blended financing, and essential non-commercial services receiving appropriate public funding.
Participants further called for the 20-Year Plan to receive formal legal and institutional backing through adoption, aligned state-level action and governance arrangements capable of sustaining implementation beyond electoral cycles.
They recommended the establishment of a Programme Management Office within NCDC to coordinate flagship programmes, project preparation, financing, implementation support, risk management, stakeholder engagement and performance reporting.
The Summit also called for clearly defined responsibilities among NCDC, the Mandate States, FCT, federal institutions, local governments, traditional institutions, the private sector, communities and development partners, with an accountable owner and resource pathway assigned to every intervention.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Tsenyil thanked participants for their active and patriotic contributions, saying their inputs would help shape the performance and long-term legacy of the Commission.
Chairman of the Central Steering Committee, Alh. Suleiman Baba Ali, commended the level of participation and appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, special guests, stakeholders, members of the Central Steering Committee and various sub-committees for their contributions towards the success of the Summit.
