The Federal Government has presented a new National Regional Development Policy to the National Economic Council (NEC), setting the stage for a coordinated framework to guide the activities of regional development commissions over the next five years.
Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, disclosed this on Thursday after briefing council members at the State House in Abuja, saying the policy was developed to provide strategic direction for the commissions established across the country's geopolitical zones.
Momoh said the ministry identified a major gap in its operations following the inauguration of the first set of regional development commissions in February 2025 and an additional batch in August of the same year.
According to him, the absence of a formal policy framework became increasingly challenging as international organisations and development partners sought clarity on the ministry's objectives and operational priorities.
He explained that although the need for such a framework had long been recognised, the ministry first had to clearly define its mandate and development agenda before embarking on the policy formulation process.
"The ministry had no comprehensive policy document to guide its activities despite the growing responsibilities arising from the establishment of regional development commissions. We needed to clearly articulate our direction before developing the framework," he said.
The minister revealed that the policy was prepared with technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), while a committee led by the ministry's Permanent Secretary oversaw its development.
As part of efforts to ensure inclusiveness and broad-based acceptance, the ministry conducted stakeholder consultations and validation sessions across the six geopolitical zones.
Momoh described the NEC presentation as a significant step towards securing government approval for the document, noting that it would now be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for final consideration.
He said governors who attended the council meeting largely welcomed the policy and acknowledged its potential to improve coordination among regional development agencies.
However, some participants raised concerns about the constitutional status and operational scope of the commissions.
Addressing the issues, the minister insisted that the commissions were legally constituted bodies established through Acts of the National Assembly and backed by presidential assent.
He argued that the legislative process through which the commissions were created provided them with a strong legal foundation and reflected broad national consensus.
Momoh expressed confidence that the policy would enhance the effectiveness of regional development commissions by providing clear guidelines for planning, implementation and collaboration with development partners.
The proposed framework is expected to serve as a roadmap for regional development initiatives, promote balanced growth across the federation and strengthen institutional mechanisms for addressing development challenges at the regional level.
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