By Adeola Badru

The Federal Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), have finalised South-West consultations on the National Regional Development Policy (NRDP) 2026–2030 in Ibadan, bringing Nigeria closer to adopting a landmark development agenda aimed at tackling regional disparities and driving inclusive economic growth.

The workshop marked a crucial stage in the development of the policy, which is expected to provide a comprehensive roadmap for tackling longstanding regional inequalities in infrastructure, investment, economic opportunities and public service delivery across Nigeria.

Held as part of a nationwide consultation process covering all six geopolitical zones, the engagement enabled stakeholders to review, refine and validate the draft policy ahead of its submission to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

Anchored on the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2026–2030 and aligned with the development agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the proposed policy seeks to create a coordinated national approach to regional development.

According to the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, the framework is designed to transform Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones into centres of inclusive growth through place-based development strategies that promote territorial balance and strengthen national competitiveness.

Representing the Resident Representative of the UNDP in Nigeria, Ms Elsie G. Attafuah, Mr Matthew Alao described the workshop as a defining moment in the country’s development planning process.

“This event holding here today is critical to redefining Nigeria’s development trajectory. It represents a moment that calls not simply for regional development but for a deliberate recalibration of how development is planned, coordinated, financed and delivered across Nigeria,” he said.

Alao said the National Regional Development Policy being jointly developed by stakeholders would serve as a practical instrument capable of converting Nigeria’s development aspirations into measurable economic outcomes with tangible benefits for citizens.

He pointed to Nigeria’s history of regional governance as evidence of what coordinated development can achieve, citing the achievements of the First Republic, particularly in the old Western Region, including major advances in education and the establishment of Nigeria’s first television station in Ibadan.

According to him, the policy presents an opportunity to reposition the country’s regions as hubs of innovation, industrialisation, productivity, resilience and shared prosperity.

“While successive national development plans have recorded progress, the gains remain unequally distributed across regions,” he said, referring to disparities highlighted by Nigeria’s multidimensional poverty index.

Alao further explained that the Federal Government’s creation of regional development commissions was intended to promote balanced and transformative development nationwide.

“The Regional Development Commissions are strategically positioned to drive infrastructure, investment, coordinated economic transformation and integration across the six geopolitical zones,” he added.

A major issue raised during the workshop was the need to ensure that the proposed framework is fully aligned with constitutional provisions and existing state powers.

Chairman of the South-West Development Commission (SWDC), Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, stressed the importance of establishing a clear legal and institutional framework to govern collaboration between federal and state authorities.

He argued that effective implementation would require well-defined mechanisms covering intergovernmental cooperation, budgetary oversight, security coordination and broader institutional collaboration.

According to Adetunmbi, the success of the policy would depend on the ability of all levels of government to harmonise development priorities under a unified framework.

In a policy preface presented at the workshop, the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, identified persistent disparities in infrastructure, economic concentration and access to opportunities as major obstacles to national productivity and social stability.

He stated that the NRDP sets out guiding principles, strategic pillars, financing mechanisms, governance arrangements and accountability systems aimed at improving coordination of development efforts across all tiers of government.

The draft framework highlights several structural challenges confronting the country, including excessive concentration of investment in urban centres, weak production systems, fragmented value chains, inadequate intergovernmental coordination, infrastructure deficits, insecurity and climate-related threats such as flooding, erosion and desertification.

To address these challenges, the policy proposes measures including the strengthening of regional value chains, the development of industrial clusters and agro-processing zones, enhanced collaboration among federal, state and local governments, improved performance of regional development commissions and greater mobilisation of public, private and development finance.

Earlier in her address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, Dr Mary Ada Ogbe, described the draft policy as a strategic blueprint for achieving balanced development and reducing regional disparities.

She said the framework would strengthen stakeholder collaboration, improve infrastructure planning, expand economic opportunities and support more inclusive growth nationwide.

Ogbe also noted that recommendations and contributions from participants at the South-West workshop would help strengthen the final document and ensure it reflects both regional priorities and broader national development aspirations.

Participants additionally examined strategies for integrating climate resilience, digital transformation, youth and gender inclusion, disability inclusion, peacebuilding and community resilience into regional development planning.

The South-West workshop formed part of six zonal validation exercises being coordinated across the country by governors representing the geopolitical zones, including Governors Peter Mbah, Siminalayi Fubara, Abba Kabir Yusuf, Babagana Zulum, Abdullahi Sule and Seyi Makinde.

Stakeholders engaged in detailed technical discussions on proposed growth hubs, development corridors, governance structures, financing models and implementation mechanisms considered critical to the policy’s successful execution.