NCDC to unveil 20-year development blueprint for North Central at Abuja summit

By Johnson Arua

The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) is set to convene its maiden stakeholders’ development summit, where a 20-year economic, infrastructural and social development blueprint for the region will be unveiled.

The two-day summit, scheduled for September 14 and 15, 2026, will take place at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, formerly Sheraton Hotel, under the theme, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region.”

The event is expected to bring together political leaders, government institutions, traditional rulers, technocrats, private sector operators, development partners, youth and women groups, persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to deliberate on a coordinated development agenda for the region.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to attend the summit as Distinguished Guest of Honour, while Vice President Kashim Shettima will serve as Special Guest.

Also expected at the event are former Heads of State and prominent sons of the region, General Yakubu Gowon, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who will attend as Fathers of the Day.

Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru (rtd), former Military Governor of Kano and Kwara States, is billed to chair the occasion, while Nasarawa State Governor and Chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum, Abdullahi Sule, will serve as Chief Host.

The six other North Central governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory are also expected to attend the summit.

Renowned academic, diplomat, politician and administrator, Professor Iorwuese Hagher, will deliver the keynote address, focusing on the need for a long-term, coordinated and sustainable development strategy for the region.

Chairman of the NCDC, Barrister Cosmas Akighir, said the summit would provide a strategic platform for stakeholders to examine the challenges and opportunities confronting the North Central region and collectively chart a new course for its transformation.

Akighir said the gathering would facilitate the development of a shared vision and actionable framework for sustainable development through collaboration among government, the private sector, development partners, academia and civil society.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Dr Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, said the summit was designed to galvanise strategic stakeholders within and outside the region towards actualising the mandate of the NCDC.

Tsenyil added that the summit would help align the region’s development priorities with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration while creating opportunities for partnerships, investments and interventions capable of accelerating economic growth and improving the living conditions of residents.

He stressed that government alone could not transform the region, calling for stronger collaboration among governments at all levels, the private sector, development partners and communities.

Chairman of the Summit Steering Committee, Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali, disclosed that the commission was working with its technical partner, Phillips Consulting, to ensure that the summit produces meaningful outcomes that reflect the aspirations of the people.

While the opening ceremony will hold on Monday, September 14, the second day will feature panel discussions, technical and breakout sessions, side meetings and other engagements on the proposed 20-year development plan.

The summit is expected to produce broad stakeholder consensus and concrete recommendations for the formulation and implementation of a long-term blueprint aimed at positioning the North Central as a major hub for economic growth, infrastructure, investment, innovation and social development in Nigeria.