by George Ozalla
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima on Wednesday led federal and regional leaders to Enugu for the South East Development Commission Summit and Regional Stakeholders’ Forum, where a long-term development blueprint titled South East Vision 2050 was formally unveiled as a framework for coordinated economic transformation of the region.
Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the summit held at the Enugu International Conference Centre, described the gathering as a defining moment for the South East, saying the region must move beyond fragmented interventions and embrace structured, long-range planning anchored on institutions, investment discipline and regional cooperation.
“This is not a ceremonial document and it is not a political statement,” the Vice President said. “Vision 2050 is a commitment to planning beyond election cycles, beyond administrations, and beyond sentiments. The South East is too important to Nigeria’s future for its development to be left to chance.”
He said the Federal Government views the South East as a major economic driver whose entrepreneurial strength, human capital and industrial capacity must be deliberately harnessed through stable frameworks. According to him, the establishment of the South East Development Commission was meant to correct years of structural imbalance and provide a focused platform for infrastructure renewal, industrial growth and social development.
Shettima announced the approval of the South East Investment Company Limited, describing it as a financial vehicle designed to attract domestic, diaspora and international capital into bankable regional projects. “Development does not happen on goodwill alone. It requires capital, credibility and institutions that investors can trust,” he said, adding that the new company would work closely with the commission to unlock long-term funding for roads, rail, power, agriculture and manufacturing.
He also addressed young people in the region, urging them to see themselves as partners in national development rather than outsiders. “The future we are designing today belongs to you. You are not spectators in Nigeria’s story; you are the authors of what comes next,” he said.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, who hosted the summit, said the South East must begin to function as a single economic bloc if it hopes to compete nationally and globally. He argued that the region’s development challenges cannot be solved by isolated state actions.
“We cannot continue to behave as five small markets when the world rewards scale,” Mbah said. “The South East must think, plan and act as one integrated economy, with seamless movement of goods, capital and talent across our states.”
He said Vision 2050 provides the opportunity to build shared infrastructure, harmonise policies and create a common market that allows businesses to grow without artificial boundaries, adding that the region’s future lies in cooperation rather than competition among its states.
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo described the summit as historic, saying the creation of the South East Development Commission and the launch of Vision 2050 marked a turning point in the region’s engagement with the Federal Government.
“This is the first time we are having a structured, long-term conversation about the South East’s future with clear institutional backing,” Soludo said. “Development is not an accident. It is the product of deliberate choices, discipline and continuity.”
He thanked President Tinubu for approving the commission and said the South East was ready to align with national economic reforms while pursuing region-specific priorities such as industrial clusters, export-driven manufacturing and technology-led growth.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti said the strength of the Vision 2050 plan lies in its emphasis on execution rather than rhetoric, noting that the region has no shortage of ideas but has often struggled with coordination and implementation.
“Our people are known for enterprise and resilience,” Otti said. “What we need now is transparency, accountability and the political will to turn plans into projects that improve the lives of ordinary citizens.”
He said Abia State would commit fully to regional collaboration, especially in areas of industrial development, trade facilitation and skills acquisition.
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru said the blueprint aligns with his administration’s focus on agriculture, solid minerals and rural development, describing the South East as a region whose diversity of strengths, if properly coordinated, could deliver shared prosperity.
“Every state has something to contribute,” Nwifuru said. “When we pool our strengths instead of working in silos, the impact will be greater and more sustainable.”
He pledged Ebonyi State’s support for regional projects that promote food security, value addition and inclusive growth.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who was represented at the summit, conveyed the state’s commitment to the Vision 2050 agenda, noting that security, infrastructure and economic stability remain critical to attracting investment into the region.
Other speakers at the summit included federal ministers, leaders of the National Assembly, development partners and representatives of the private sector, who collectively stressed the importance of institutional stability, policy consistency and private-sector participation in achieving the vision.
The Minister of Regional Development said the South East Development Commission would prioritise projects that deliver measurable impact, insisting that the era of abandoned plans must give way to results-driven governance. “The people must feel the presence of development in their daily lives, not just in policy documents,” he said.
Development partners at the forum emphasised the need for credible data, strong governance structures and community inclusion to ensure the success of long-term regional planning.
The summit is expected to end on friday with a renewed commitment by federal and state actors to work together in implementing the Vision 2050 framework, as stakeholders expressed optimism that the South East is entering a new phase of structured and coordinated development.
The South East Development Commission SEDC was primarily established to drive regional reconstruction, economic revitalisation and social development across the five states of the zone, with Vision 2050 serving as its long-term strategic compass.
