Vice President Kashim Shettima has unveiled an ambitious 25-year development blueprint for Nigeria’s South-East region, describing the zone as a critical pillar of the country’s present and future economic prosperity. The long-term plan, tagged South-East Vision 2050, is designed to reposition the region as a globally competitive economic bloc through deliberate planning, institutional coordination, and sustained investment.
The Vice President also announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited, a special-purpose investment vehicle aimed at mobilising capital from the diaspora, domestic and international capital markets, as well as development finance institutions, to accelerate development across the region.
Shettima made the announcements on Wednesday while speaking at the South-East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders’ Forum held in Enugu. He described the forum as a decisive departure from short-term, election-driven governance toward a structured, multi-decade development framework anchored on foresight, discipline, and continuity.
“This forum reflects foresight, responsibility, and a shared understanding that the future is not something we wait for, but something we must deliberately design,” the Vice President said. “In recognition of the distinctive character of the South-East—its entrepreneurial drive, its global diaspora, and its long-standing engagement with international capital—President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited.”
According to him, the investment company will operate in close synergy with the newly created South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to address post-war infrastructure deficits, unlock private capital, and drive long-term competitiveness in the region. He stressed that the SEDC was conceived as a delivery-focused institution rather than another bureaucratic layer.
“Let me be clear: this is not another layer of bureaucracy,” Shettima said. “It is a delivery institution focused on tangible outcomes—jobs, productivity, and growth. Nigeria is strongest when its regions thrive, and the South-East carries a unique historical burden that makes deliberate regional planning both urgent and necessary.”
The Vice President commended the inclusive nature of the forum, which brought together federal and state governments, traditional rulers, private sector leaders, civil society organisations, youth groups, development partners, and members of the diaspora. He particularly acknowledged Umu Igbo Unite, a United States–based network of over 10,000 young professionals, noting that sustainable development in the South-East would be built through collaboration between those at home and abroad.
Addressing young people directly, Shettima emphasised that development must translate into concrete improvements in daily life. “You are not spectators in our national journey. You are central to it,” he said. “Your energy, creativity, and ambition are essential to the Nigeria we are working to build. Development must not remain an abstract promise; it must be felt in the lived realities of our people.”
Earlier, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, speaking on behalf of his counterparts, endorsed the Vision 2050 framework, describing it as a strategic opportunity for the South-East to align with Nigeria’s broader Vision 2060 agenda. He applauded the renewed unity among leaders and stakeholders in the region and proposed the creation of a South-East common market, describing the moment as the awakening of a long-dormant economic giant.
Governor Mbah stressed that reimagining the South-East as a cohesive economic bloc would require unity of purpose, synergy of ideas and resources, and a shift in how leaders and citizens perceive development. He urged a paradigm change in planning and project execution across the region and called on communities to complement federal efforts to improve security and livelihoods.
He thanked Vice President Shettima for his commitment to the South-East, noting that his presence underscored the principle that sustainable regional development thrives on strong national leadership and inclusive governance.
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru pledged his state’s full support for the implementation of the Vision 2050 plan, describing it as a pathway to closing unemployment and poverty gaps while unlocking the region’s vast economic potential. He said Ebonyi State is building on existing foundations in agriculture, agribusiness, education, and solid minerals, with a clear roadmap to becoming a hub for rural development in the South-East.
Similarly, Abia State Governor Alex Otti expressed satisfaction over the unanimous adoption of the Vision 2050 framework by stakeholders across the public and private sectors. He described the summit as a turning point in the region’s economic transformation, noting that with transparent leadership, abundant natural resources, and disciplined execution, industrialisation of the South-East is both feasible and achievable.
Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo thanked President Tinubu for the establishment of the SEDC, describing it as a long-awaited gift to the region. He said the Vision 2050 conversation was historic, marking the first time governors and regional leaders collectively adopted a single framework to guide the South-East’s long-term transformation.
In a keynote address, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Mrs. Elsie Attafuah, highlighted global lessons in long-term regional planning and institutional capacity building. She stressed that genuine industrialisation must be anchored on infrastructure that supports domestic production and urged stakeholders to focus on effective implementation of Vision 2050.
She also emphasised the need to harness the comparative advantages of South-Eastern states to ensure the sustainability of development gains over time.
Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, described the forum as a crowning moment in the region’s development journey. He said the creation of the SEDC reflects President Tinubu’s institutional commitment to coordinated transformation through the revitalisation of infrastructure such as rail networks and commodity ecosystems.
The Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, underscored the importance of aligning resources and policies under the Vision 2050 framework. She announced her ministry’s nationwide trade facilitation tour to boost export potential and described the South-East as a springboard for Nigeria’s industrial renaissance.
In a goodwill message, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator Azuta Mbata, commended the Federal Government for prioritising regional integration. He pledged the support of South-Eastern communities for Vision 2050 and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Chairman of the SEDC, Sir Emeka Wogu, and Managing Director Mr. Mark Okoye reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to partnering with state governments, the diaspora, and the private sector to implement the Vision 2050 roadmap, focusing on infrastructure, power, peace-building, and connectivity.
The event concluded with goodwill messages from corporate bodies, faith-based organisations, youth groups, diaspora representatives, and development partners, reinforcing a shared commitment to charting a sustainable and prosperous future for South-East Nigeria.
