Leaders of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, alongside the South East Development Commission (SEDC), have urged President Bola Tinubu to commit at least $10 billion to critical infrastructure in the South East as a way of reversing decades of economic stagnation in the region.
The appeal was made at the four-day South East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders Forum (SEV2050), which opened on Tuesday in Enugu. The forum is aimed at crafting a long-term development blueprint that would reposition the zone as a competitive destination for global investment over the next 25 years.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, said the newly established SEDC should be deployed not merely as a development agency but as a strategic platform for reconciliation between the federal government and a region burdened by longstanding grievances.
Azuta-Mbata noted that years of perceived neglect and exclusion have entrenched feelings of alienation across parts of the South East, warning that such sentiments pose a threat to national unity if left unaddressed. He stressed that meaningful and sustained funding of the SEDC would help rebuild confidence and restore a sense of belonging among the people.
According to him, deliberate investment in the commission would signal a willingness by the Tinubu administration to replace mistrust with inclusion and despair with opportunity. He described the moment as critical for healing old wounds and re-integrating the region fully into Nigeria’s development agenda.
In his opening remarks on Tuesday, Managing Director of the SEDC, Dr Mark Okoye, presented data showing that the South East is grappling with an estimated $10 billion infrastructure deficit, which he said continues to constrain industrial growth and job creation.
Okoye criticised what he called years of fragmented and poorly coordinated development efforts, urging the five South East states—Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo—to abandon parochial competition and instead collaborate on large, bankable regional projects capable of attracting serious capital.
He proposed the joint development of industrial-scale power projects, including 600-megawatt power plants, to support manufacturing and unlock the economic potential of the region’s 29,000 square kilometre landmass.
The SEDC boss also drew attention to the underutilisation of diaspora remittances, noting that while Nigeria receives about $22 billion annually—roughly $4 billion of which flows into the South East—most of the funds are spent individually rather than pooled for transformative infrastructure such as rail systems and gas pipelines.
Also speaking at the forum, development expert and former First Lady of Ondo State, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, cautioned that the Vision 2050 initiative must not degenerate into another lofty policy document with no practical impact. She insisted that development must translate into tangible improvements in daily life, including motorable roads, stable electricity, clean water, functional healthcare and employable skills for young people.
She further emphasised the need to deliberately mainstream women and youths into the development framework, citing her work in ICT and renewable energy through the BEMORE Foundation as proof of what targeted interventions can achieve.
Representing Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, said no South East state could attain transformative growth on its own. He underscored the importance of regional cooperation and institutionalised reforms that would survive changes in political leadership.
Onyia described the stakeholders’ forum as a watershed moment in the quest to overcome years of disjointed development planning, adding that Enugu State was committed to providing a stable and secure environment for such regional conversations to thrive.
The SEV2050 forum is expected to continue with sector-specific technical sessions focusing on agriculture, the digital economy and transportation, as stakeholders fine-tune proposals aimed at repositioning the South East for sustainable growth.
