Governors, policymakers, and regional leaders in Nigeria’s South East have outlined a bold blueprint for the region’s long-term development under the South East Vision 2050, emphasising energy sufficiency, infrastructure expansion, and regional integration as critical drivers of prosperity.
The four-day South East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders Forum, organised by the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and supported by the Office of the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, brought together governors Alex Otti (Abia), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Charles Soludo (Anambra), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), and representatives from Imo State. Ministers, legislators, private sector leaders, and community representatives were also in attendance.
Otti champions regional energy strategy
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State stressed that reliable electricity is the cornerstone of industrial growth in the South East. Speaking at the forum, he said the region has the potential to generate 10,000–15,000 megawatts of electricity within the next decade if natural gas, coal, solar, hydropower, biomass, and crude oil resources are fully harnessed.
“Power is the foundation of industrial growth, and the modern Aba is proof that steady and predictable electricity supply drives investment, business growth, and job creation,” Otti said, citing the Geometric Power plant and the Aba ring-fenced electricity zone as successful models.
Otti proposed a three-pronged energy plan:
Resource identification and optimisation - mapping untapped energy resources for industrial use.
Sustained infrastructure investment – building power plants, transmission lines, substations, and meters.
Market-driven models – governments initially de-risking investments before private operators manage generation and distribution under strict regulation.
He emphasised the need for fair electricity pricing and compulsory metering to replace exploitative estimated billing. Otti also called for collaboration across South East states, suggesting that existing facilities be expanded and shared rather than duplicated.
Soludo urges Marshall-style regional plan
Anambra Governor Charles Soludo advocated for a Marshall-style plan for the South East that focuses on investment attraction, tangible outcomes, and collective action.
“We need a plan that unites stakeholders, addresses our region’s unique challenges, and delivers results,” Soludo said. He highlighted regional security, infrastructure, and institutional coordination as priority areas, stressing that effective leadership and cooperation are essential to unlock the South East’s potential.
Mbah pushes South East Common Market
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu proposed the creation of a South East Common Market-a borderless economic bloc that integrates commerce, talent, infrastructure, and industrial capacity. He urged that Vision 2050 move from words to execution, beginning with cross-state projects, integrated logistics, coordinated security, and aligned investment policies.
“This is about building systems that generate jobs and shared prosperity, not prestige or rivalry,” Mbah said.
Ohanaeze calls for funding and reconciliation
John Azuta-Mbata, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, urged the federal government to fully fund the SEDC, describing it as a tool for both development and reconciliation in the South East.
“The South East has contributed greatly to Nigeria’s growth, yet feelings of exclusion persist. Supporting SEDC demonstrates commitment to equity, justice, and healing old wounds,” he said.
Forum aims to deliver actionable roadmap
The forum, chaired by SEDC Chairperson Emeka Wogu and managed by Managing Director Mark Okoye, is expected to produce a prioritised pipeline of regional projects within six to seven weeks. These will focus on energy, infrastructure, industrialisation, security, and institutional development, laying the groundwork for the South East to become a globally competitive industrial hub.
Okoye noted that the event has already shifted discussions from individual state achievements to the collective destiny of the South East, stressing that regional collaboration is key to unlocking the area’s economic potential.
With Vision 2050, the South East aims to leverage resources, innovation, and strategic planning to overcome decades of marginalisation and position the region as a leading centre for industrial and socio-economic development in Nigeria.
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