Tinubu, Gowon, Others To Provide Economic Plan For N’Central

President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima and governors of the North-Central states are expected to be part of the stakeholders who will map out a 20-year economic, infrastructural and social development plan for the region during a two-day summit slated for September 14 and 15, 2026.

Also, former Heads of State, including Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, all retired, are expected to be in attendance.

This was contained in a statement made available to journalists in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Friday by the Head, Media and Corporate Communications of the North Central Development Commission, Dr Makut Macham.

Macham explained that the two-day summit, which would take place in Abuja, would serve as the maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit.

According to him, the summit is themed, ‘The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North-Central Region.’

Macham said the summit would bring together top political leaders, key government institutions, traditional rulers, technocrats, private sector players, youth and women groups, persons with disabilities, development partners and other critical stakeholders to deliberate on a comprehensive development agenda for the region.

Speaking ahead of the summit, the Chairman of the NCDC, Dr Cosmas Akighir, said the event would provide a strategic platform for stakeholders to collectively examine the development challenges and opportunities confronting the region and to chart a new course for its holistic transformation.

According to him, the summit would convene stakeholders from government, the private sector, development partners, academia and civil society to develop a shared vision and actionable framework for the sustainable development of the North-Central geopolitical zone.

On his part, the Managing Director/CEO of the NCDC, Dr Cyril Tsenyil, stated that the summit was deliberately convened to galvanise strategic stakeholders within the region and beyond in order to actualise the mandate of the commission.

Tsenyil explained that the summit would also provide an opportunity to align the development priorities of the region with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Tinubu administration.

He added that it would further create a broad-based framework for partnerships, investments and interventions aimed at accelerating economic growth and improving the quality of life of the people.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Summit Steering Committee, Suleiman Ali, disclosed that the commission was working closely with its Technical Partner, Phillips Consulting, to ensure a successful summit that would produce meaningful outcomes and meet the aspirations of the people of the region.