The federal government has unveiled a five-year National Regional Development Policy aimed at providing a unified operational framework for regional development commissions and strengthening coordinated development efforts across the country.
Minister of regional development, Abubakar Momoh, disclosed this after briefing the National Economic Council (NEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, describing the policy as a major step towards institutionalising regional development planning and improving collaboration among development agencies.
Momoh said the policy was developed to guide the activities of regional development commissions established by the federal government and ensure a coherent approach to addressing developmental challenges across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
According to him, the need for a comprehensive policy framework became increasingly apparent following the establishment of the first set of regional development commissions in February 2025 and the subsequent creation of another batch in August of the same year.
He explained that although the ministry had been engaging local stakeholders, development partners and international organisations since its establishment, it lacked a formal policy document defining its strategic direction and operational mandate.
“The ministry did not previously have a policy framework to guide its operations. As engagements with international organisations and development partners increased, the absence of such a document became more apparent because many of them requested a policy framework that was unavailable at the time,” Momoh said.
The minister disclosed that work on the policy commenced after the ministry clearly articulated its mandate, objectives and priorities for regional development.
According to him, the policy was developed with technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), while a committee chaired by the ministry’s permanent secretary coordinated the drafting process.
To ensure broad stakeholder participation and national ownership, Momoh said the ministry embarked on extensive consultations and validation exercises across the six geopolitical zones before finalising the document.
He noted that the consultative process enabled the ministry to incorporate diverse perspectives from state governments, development experts, community leaders and other stakeholders into the final framework.
The minister described the presentation of the policy before the National Economic Council as a significant milestone in the approval process.
He explained that the document would now proceed to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for final consideration and approval before implementation.
According to Momoh, the National Regional Development Policy is expected to serve as a strategic blueprint for promoting balanced development across Nigeria, improving coordination among regional agencies and enhancing partnerships with both local and international development actors.
He added that the framework would provide a clear roadmap for implementing development programmes, attracting development financing and ensuring that regional commissions operate within a common policy architecture.
Analysts believe the policy could strengthen accountability and improve the effectiveness of regional development interventions by creating a standardised framework for planning, execution and monitoring of projects nationwide.
