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NEDC Unveils 10-Years Plan To Rebuild, Stabilize North East Region

Published

4 years ago

September 2, 2022

Joel Ajayi

North East Development Commission, NEDC, has unveiled 10-years validation of North East Stabilization and Development Master Plan NESDMP that will facilitate a transformative growth of the region and lift citizens out of poverty.

It will be recalled that the region had suffered a lot of setbacks as a result of insurgencies as well as recent climate change effects.

Speaking, at the unveiling of the 10 years North East stabilization and Development Master Plan (NESDMP) on Thursday in Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of Federation Boss Mustapha said that full implementation of the master-plan will no doubt bring needed growth and development to the region.

According to him, NEDC was established to rebuild the North-East Region following the unfortunate Boko Haram insurgency.

“This is a fulfillment of the campaign promise made by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to the people of the North-East Geo-Political Zone. Undoubtedly, we can boldly say that NEDC has turned out to be one of the important projects of this administration. All of us from the Region and even beyond are most grateful to Mr. President for his insight and legacy.

“In less than four years since its establishment, the Commission has already made great strides towards achieving its mandate of managing funds for recovery, stabilization, and paving a path towards long-term social-economic development of the North-East Region.

“It is gratifying to note that in implementing the Humanitarian-Development Peace building (HDP).

“NEDC has covered much ground with viable, demand-driven, and impactful projects that are changing the landscape of the North-East Region as we all witnessed today. | encourage everyone to visit the region and see the laudable projects being carried out by the NEDC.

“The North-East Stabilization and Development Master Plan (NESDMP), is a holistic roadmap for recovery, stabilization, expansion, and long-term socioeconomic development of the NE Region. Let me once more commend the Commission for coming, with the Regional Master Plan which we are gathered here today to validate. Going forward, the Federal Government will swiftly approve the Regional Plan for immediate implementation by all relevant Stakeholders.”

He urged the NEDC to “liaise with Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, States and Development Partners on the implementation of all measures approved in the Master Plan for the stabilization and development of the North-East Zone by the Federal Government.

“It also requires the NEDC to “interface with Development Partners (Local or International) and NonGovernmental Organizations to ensure synergy with other Stakeholders in line with the Master Plan.”

However, called on all Stakeholders in the Public and Private Sectors, Development Partners, especially Donors, to garner resources and invest optimally in the richly endowed but least-exploited North-East Region.

“The Region is witnessing improved security and gradually returning to sustainable peace and stability. The Federal Government will continue to provide the wherewithal for an enabling environment in the Region to allow all Stakeholders play their complementary roles.” He said.

In his remark, the Chairman of NEDC Maj Gen. PC Tarfa rtd said creation of NEDC to address the destructions in the North-East Region is among the best legacies of Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR).

While giving overview of the 10 years master-plan Maj Gen. PC Tarfa, disclosed that the start from 2022 to 2030 in four implementation phases; Recovery & Stabilization 2020 – 2021, Renewal 2022 – 2023, Expansion 2024 – 2025 and Sustainable Growth 2026 – 2030.

According to him, it contains Enterprise Values, Vision, Mission, and Strategic Objectives of NEDC as well as Strategic Vision and Direction for the NE Region.

“It consists of 11 Pillars: Peaceful Society, Leadership in Agriculture, Healthy Citizens, Educated Populace, Flourishing Trade, Productive Entrepreneurs, Purposeful Infrastructure, Industrialization, Memorable Experience, Protected Environment, and Connected Region.

“The ten-year North-East Stabilization and Development Master Plan is an ambitious roadmap for the recovery, stabilization and long-term socio-economic development of the North-East Region. The eleven pillars of the Master Plan comprise all the key sectors that the Region needs to focus on for it to return to a steady path of sustainable development. The cost of implementing the Master Plan stands at about Thirty-One Trillion Naira (N31 Trillion.”

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

3 days ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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