Economy
STAKEHOLDERS at the South-West Regional Technical Validation Workshop on the Draft National Regional Development Policy (NRDP) 2026-2030 have called for stronger regional coordination and collaboration among governments and development partners.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by the Federal Ministry of Regional Development (FMRD) in Ibadan on Wednesday.
It was held in collaboration with the South West Development Commission (SWDC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
SWDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Charles Akinola, said the policy would provide a framework for addressing regional development challenges through coordinated planning and place-based solutions.
Akinola said the South-West region remained focused on economic competitiveness, infrastructure connectivity, industrial development, human capital advancement, environmental sustainability and regional integration.
He urged stakeholders to actively contribute ideas and recommendations that would strengthen the policy before its finalisation.
“The development of a policy of this nature requires broad participation, continuous dialogue and the collective wisdom of stakeholders across all levels of government, the private sector, academia, civil society and development institutions,” he said.
UNDP Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, represented by Senior Governance Adviser, Dr Matthew Alao, described the proposed policy as a roadmap for achieving functional, integrated and territorially competitive development across Nigeria.
Attafuah said, “Regional development commissions will serve as platforms for infrastructure development, investment promotion, economic transformation and regional integration.”
He noted that UNDP had provided technical and coordination support for the policy’s development and urged participants to take ownership of the process through meaningful contributions.
Chairman of the SWDC, Sen. Olubunmi Adetunmbi, stressed the need for constitutional and institutional alignment between the proposed policy and state governments.
Adetunmbi also called for clearer legal frameworks, improved coordination among tiers of government and stronger institutional relationships to ensure effective implementation of regional development initiatives.
He further advocated the inclusion of security considerations, inter-regional collaboration and adequate stakeholder consultations in the policy framework.
Also, Dr Mary Ogbe, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Regional Development, explained that the draft policy was intended to serve as a national framework.
She stated that individual regional development commissions would develop operational roadmaps based on their comparative advantages and peculiar development needs.
Ogbe noted that the validation workshop formed part of a series of zonal consultations aimed at refining the draft policy before its presentation at a national technical and political validation session.
According to her, the policy is anchored on four pillars: spatial and territorial balance, economic transformation, infrastructure connectivity, and social equity and human capital development.
“The framework was designed to address long-standing regional disparities, promote balanced growth and strengthen coordination among states and regional development commissions.
“The South-West contributes more than 27 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but continues to face challenges including rapid urbanisation, infrastructure deficits, flooding, housing shortages and uneven development across communities,” Ogbe said.
She added that the policy would guide regional development commissions in addressing such challenges through coordinated interventions and public-private partnerships.
In his remarks, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, represented by Osi Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Koladaisi, called for practical strategies on implementation, resource mobilisation and coordination among stakeholders.
Ladoja urged participants to leverage the South-West’s strong private-sector ecosystem to attract domestic and international investments for regional development.
He said recommendations from the workshop would help to shape the final policy document and contribute to the development of a balanced, prosperous and competitive region.
NAN reports that the workshop brought together government officials, development partners, policy experts, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and representatives of regional development commissions across the South-West. (NAN)
Tags: Inclusive Development Regional Development Plan