Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday unveiled a 25-year development blueprint for the South-East region, describing the region as a central pillar of Nigeria’s economic future.
He unveiled the blueprint on Wednesday during the South-East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders’ Forum in Enugu.
At the event, the VP announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited, designed to mobilise resources from the diaspora, capital markets, and development finance institutions for the region’s development.
He said the gathering was a decisive break from short-term governance cycles toward a structured, multi-decade development framework.
“This forum reflects foresight, responsibility, and a shared understanding that the future is not something we wait for, but something we must deliberately design.
“In recognition of the distinctive character of the South-East, its entrepreneurial spirit, its global diaspora, and its long-standing relationship with international capital, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited,” Shettima said.
He said the company will work in synergy with the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to address postwar infrastructure gaps and drive long-term regional competitiveness.
Shettima reaffirmed that the SEDC was conceived to focus on structural transformation rather than routine administrative activity, insisting that Nigeria is strongest when its regions thrive.
“Let me be clear. This is not another layer of bureaucracy. It is a delivery institution, focused on tangible outcomes that translate into jobs, productivity, and growth,” he stated, noting that the South-East carries a unique historical burden, which makes deliberate regional planning both urgent and necessary.
He acknowledged the presence of Umu Igbo Unite, a United States–based network of over 10,000 young professionals, saying, “The future of the South-East will be built both at home and abroad, together.”
Earlier, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State joined his colleagues in the region in endorsing the vision 2050, explaining that the vision is an opportunity for the South East region to tap into the national agenda tagged vision 2060.
He emphasised that the South East could no longer afford to operate as five parallel states, commending President Bola Tinubu for the establishment of the South East Development Commission, SEDC.
“I am here to invite you to a bold re-imagining of the South East as a single economic bloc. For too long, we have looked at our five states as individual islands, but the era of the solitary path is over.
“I propose the birth of the South East Common Market – a bold, borderless unification of our commerce, our talent, and our industrial grit. By fusing our five distinct economies into one powerhouse, we are no longer just negotiating for a seat at the table; we are building the table ourselves.
“This is more than a policy shift; it is the awakening of an economic giant, transforming the South East into a single, seamless theatre of enterprise where our shared heritage fuels our collective prosperity,” he stated.
Speaking on the theme: “Charting a Shared Path to Sustainable Prosperity for South East Nigeria,” he stressed that the rules of prosperity were changing globally into a new era where those who could organise themselves, integrate their markets, and build systems at scale would rise, while those who cannot, would remain consumers of other people’s added value.
In his remarks, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, pledged the support of the state government for the implementation of a development plan for the region, noting that the plan will close unemployment and poverty gaps, while unlocking potentials across different sectors of the region’s economy.
He said Ebonyi State, under his administration, is building on the foundation of past administration in agriculture and agribusiness, education, solid mineral development, and a roadmap for the transformation of Ebonyi state as a hub of rural development in the South East.
In the same vein, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, expressed happiness and satisfaction over the unanimous adoption and support for the South East Vision 2050 by critical stakeholders across the private and public sectors, saying the summit is connected to revolution of the region and its economic transformation.
For his part, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, thanked President Tinubu for the creation of the SEDC, describing it as a gift to the region that has been clamoured for by stakeholders for a long time.
In a keynote address, the Resident Representative of the UNDP, Mrs Elsie Attafuah, spoke on global lessons in long-term regional planning through institutional capacity for sustainable implementation of development plans in complex contexts.
She said for genuine industrialisation to be achieved, policymakers and stakeholders must ensure that infrastructure built across the region serves domestic production.
She urged cutting edge execution of Vision 2050 by stakeholders across the region and noted the importance of catalysing the comparative advantages of southeastern states in ensuring sustainability of the gains recorded in the years to come.
The Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, underscored the significance of aligning resources and efforts, which she said had been prioritized through the South East Vision 2050 programme.
Oduwole pledged the support of her ministry and announced the ministry’s launch of a nationwide trade facilitation tour to boost the export potentials across the country, describing the South East region as the springboard for Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
On his part, Chairman of the South East Development Commission, Sir Emeka Wogu, said the South East vision 2050 is unique and designed to ensure continuity in the execution of development agenda for the region and the synergy of efforts by the respective state governments.