VP Shettima Inaugurates South-East 25-Year Development Plan

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has inaugurated a 25-year development blueprint for Nigeria’s South-East region, describing the area as a central pillar of the nation’s economic future. The announcement, made in Enugu on Wednesday, includes the federal government’s approval for the establishment of the South East Investment Company Ltd.

The new company is designed to mobilise resources from the diaspora, capital markets, and development finance institutions to fund long-term regional projects. Vice-President Shettima framed the initiative as a decisive shift from short-term governance cycles to a structured, multi-decade framework. He stated that President Bola Tinubu approved the company in recognition of the South-East’s entrepreneurial spirit, global diaspora network, and historical engagement with international capital.

The investment company will operate alongside the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to address infrastructure deficits and enhance regional competitiveness. Shettima clarified that the SEDC is a delivery institution focused on tangible outcomes like job creation and productivity, not additional bureaucracy. He noted the unique historical context of the South-East, making deliberate planning urgent.

The inclusive forum in Enugu brought together federal and state governments, traditional institutions, the private sector, civil society, and development partners. The Vice-President specifically acknowledged the US-based Umu Igbo Unite network, underscoring that the region’s future will be built collaboratively both domestically and abroad. He emphasised to Nigerian youth that they are central to national development, which must yield concrete daily results.

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State endorsed the Vision 2050 blueprint, linking it to the national Vision 2060 agenda. He hailed the gathering as the “awakening of an economic giant” and proposed creating a South-East common market. Mbah stressed the need for a paradigm shift in project planning and execution, urging citizens to complement federal security improvements. He credited the Vice-President’s presence as evidence that sustainable regional development requires dedicated national leadership.

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State pledged his administration’s support for the plan, highlighting its potential to reduce unemployment and unlock economic potential across agriculture, education, and solid minerals. He noted Ebonyi’s ongoing work to build on previous foundations in these sectors.

The blueprint represents a coordinated, long-term strategy to harness the South-East’s human and diaspora capital for structural transformation, with the Investment Company serving as a key financing vehicle for the region’s development over the next quarter-century.