TINUBU, SHETTIMA, OTHERS SET TO UNVEIL 20-YEAR NORTH-CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and governors of the North-Central states are expected to join other key stakeholders at a two-day summit focused on developing a 20-year economic, infrastructural and social development blueprint for the region.
The maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit is scheduled for September 14 and 15, 2026, at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja.
The summit, themed “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region,” is being organised by the North Central Development Commission.
In a statement on Friday, the commission’s Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr Makut Macham, said former Heads of State Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar were also expected to attend.
Macham said the summit would bring together political leaders, government institutions, traditional rulers, technocrats, private sector representatives, youth and women groups, persons with disabilities, development partners and other stakeholders to deliberate on a common development agenda for the region.
He said Tinubu would attend as the Distinguished Guest of Honour, while Shettima would serve as Special Guest.
He added that Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru (retd.), former Military Governor of Kano and Kwara States, would chair the occasion, while Nasarawa State Governor and Chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum, Abdullahi Sule, would serve as Chief Host alongside the governors of the other six North Central states and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The keynote address will be delivered by Prof. Iorwuese Hagher, who is expected to lead discussions on the need for a coordinated and sustainable long-term development strategy for the region.
Speaking ahead of the summit, NCDC Chairman, Cosmas Akighir, said the event would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to assess the challenges and opportunities facing the North Central and develop a clear pathway towards its transformation.
According to him, the summit will draw participants from government, the private sector, development organisations, academia and civil society to establish a shared vision and actionable framework for sustainable development in the region.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, Dr Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, said the summit was designed to mobilise strategic stakeholders within and outside the region towards fulfilling the commission’s mandate.
He said the proposed 20-year development plan would align the North Central’s priorities with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda while creating opportunities for partnerships, investments and development interventions.
The Chairman of the Summit Steering Committee, Suleiman Baba Ali, said the commission was collaborating with its technical partner, Phillips Consulting, to ensure the summit delivered tangible outcomes.
He said the opening ceremony would take place on Monday, September 14, while the second day would feature panel discussions, technical sessions, breakout meetings, side engagements and other strategic discussions on the proposed development plan.
The summit is expected to end with a broad stakeholder consensus and concrete recommendations towards formulating and implementing a 20-year development blueprint aimed at positioning the North Central as a major centre for economic growth, infrastructure, investment, innovation and social development in Nigeria.
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