A major gathering of Nigeria’s political and development leaders is set to shape the future of the North-Central as President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima and former Heads of State are expected at a summit to produce a 20-year development blueprint for the region. The maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit will hold in Abuja […]
A major gathering of Nigeria’s political and development leaders is set to shape the future of the North-Central as President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima and former Heads of State are expected at a summit to produce a 20-year development blueprint for the region.
The maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit will hold in Abuja on September 14 and 15, bringing together prominent political figures, policymakers, traditional rulers, business leaders and development experts.
Among those expected at the event are former Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, all retired. Governors from the North-Central states are also expected to participate in the high-level deliberations.
The North Central Development Commission announced the planned summit in a statement by its Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr Makut Macham, who said the meeting would focus on developing a long-term strategy for the economic, infrastructural and social advancement of the geopolitical zone.
The summit, themed **“The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North-Central Region,”** is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to identify the region’s major challenges and establish practical solutions for its long-term development.
According to the commission, the gathering will involve representatives of government institutions, the private sector, traditional institutions, technocrats, youth and women groups, persons with disabilities, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.
NCDC Chairman, Dr Cosmas Akighir, said the summit would allow stakeholders to jointly examine the opportunities and challenges confronting the region and develop a common vision for its transformation. He said the objective was to move beyond discussions and create an actionable framework for sustainable development.
The commission’s Managing Director and CEO, Dr Cyril Tsenyil, said the summit was designed to mobilise strategic stakeholders within and outside the region towards achieving the commission’s mandate. He noted that the exercise would also help align North-Central development priorities with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.
Tsenyil added that the proposed framework would encourage partnerships, investments and development interventions capable of accelerating economic expansion and improving living conditions across the region.
The Chairman of the Summit Steering Committee, Suleiman Ali, also disclosed that the commission was collaborating with Phillips Consulting, its technical partner, in preparation for the summit. He expressed the expectation that the event would produce concrete outcomes that address the aspirations and development needs of the North-Central people.