President Bola Tinubu has turned the South-South and South-West Development Commission Bills into Act to ensure equitable development of all regions in the country.
The Act ensures funding through federal allocations, international grants, and partnerships, bypassing the NDDC’s oil-dependent model. This structure shields the commission from fluctuations in oil prices and ensures sustained development.
This significant achievement for the region results from the efforts of Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River South), the Chairman, Senate Committee on NDDC.
Ekpenyong, with some co-sponsors from the South-South geopolitical zone, introduced the bill (SB. 358) in 2024 to address systemic disparities in resource allocation and development. The bill w unanimous approval in the Senate.
“Today, we celebrate not just a legislative victory, but a testament to the South-South’s unwavering resolve for equity”, the Senator Asuquo.
“The new commission will finally address our region’s unique challenges—from infrastructure deficits to environmental degradation—while ensuring Cross River and all South-South states receive the resources they deserve.
“I thank President Tinubu for his commitment to regional development and my colleagues for their bipartisan support. Together, we’ve paved the way for a brighter future where no community is left behind.”
Ekpenyong previously argued that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which includes non-South-South states like Abia and Imo, diluted focus on the region’s unique challenges.
He emphasised the need for a dedicated commission to prioritise geopolitical equity over oil revenue-based allocations, ensuring all South-South states—including Cross River, which previously received minimal NDDC benefits—gain equitable access to resources.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio lauded the bill’s passage, describing it as a catalyst for job creation and grassroots economic transformation.
Earlier, Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Basheer Lado, made this known in a statement, noting that the legislations reflect Tinubu’s commitment to inclusive governance, equitable progress, and Nigeria’s emergence as a global powerhouse.
“By signing into law the establishment of the South-West and South-South Development Commissions, President Tinubu has reaffirmed his role as a transformational leader who prioritizes regional empowerment, economic expansion, and infrastructural excellence.
“Building on the foundation of his earlier assent to the South-East and South-West Development Commissions, it is evident that President Tinubu is deliberate in bringing development across all regions,” he said.
Tinubu’s assent reinforces his administration’s commitment to regional empowerment, following similar approvals of the South-West and South-East Development Commissions.
