MARCEL MBAMALUThe establishment of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) has ignited a mix of optimism and skepticism across Nigeria. As the country’s latest effort to address the historical neglect and marginalization of the South-East region, the SEDC’s success hinges on its ability to navigate the complexities of bureaucratic inefficiencies, political interference, and funding uncertainties. With its ambitious goals of driving development, promoting economic growth, and fostering social integration, the SEDC has the potential to transform the region – but will it deliver on its promises?
SEDC aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasising inclusivity and national cohesion. However, its success hinges on robust partnerships with federal agencies, private investors, and transparent governance structures.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Commission was officially established on 24 July 2024, when President Tinubu signed the bill into law, marking a historic milestone for the region. Its Board was inaugurated on 12 February 2025, signalling the beginning of operations aimed at addressing decades of post-war neglect and fostering regional growth.
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Even more promising is that Mark Okoye, a young and dynamic leader, has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SEDC. His nomination by President Bola Tinubu on 6 December 2024, and subsequent confirmation by the Senate in January 2025, has been widely celebrated as a merit-based decision.
Okoye, formerly the MD/CEO of the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) and a former Commissioner under Governor Willie Obiano, is recognised for his exceptional track record in public service and economic development.
Prominent stakeholders, including business mogul Arthur Eze, have expressed strong support for Okoye’s appointment. Eze hosted a grand reception in his honour, reflecting the optimism surrounding his leadership. Many believe Okoye’s youthful energy, extensive experience, and commitment to development position him as an ideal candidate to drive the SEDC’s ambitious agenda of regional transformation, but is it just about the leader, can he do it without sufficient resources?
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SEDC and the Promise of Transformation
The commission is tasked with driving development in the Southeast states—Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. Its mandate includes reconstructing war-damaged roads and houses, tackling ecological challenges, and unlocking the region’s latent commercial potential.
The key objectives of the SEDC include investments in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology to stimulate entrepreneurship and job creation. Infrastructure development is another major focus, for building roads, railways, and energy facilities to enhance connectivity and spur trade. Social integration is also prioritised, with initiatives promoting dialogue, reconciliation, and youth empowerment to strengthen unity.
The establishment of the South-East Development Commission is undeniably a bold move towards addressing the historical neglect and marginalisation of the Igbo people in Nigeria. However, its success remains uncertain, especially when viewed through the lens of past failures of similar commissions.
Promise or Bureaucratic Illusion? Challenges Ahead
The South-East has long suffered from systemic discrimination, particularly since the Nigerian Civil War. Decades of underinvestment in infrastructure, ecological degradation, and economic stagnation have left the region struggling to catch up with other parts of the country. While the SEDC aims to reverse these trends, it faces scepticism due to lingering distrust and a history of unfulfilled promises.
While the SEDC has been welcomed with optimism, questions remain. Can it secure sufficient funding to meet the region’s $10 billion annual infrastructure needs? Will it overcome political interference and bureaucratic inefficiencies? Can it effectively collaborate with state governments, private investors, and civil society?
Despite its ambitious goals, scepticism surrounds the SEDC’s ability to deliver. One of the most pressing issues is the lack of clarity and consistency in funding. According to the World Bank, the South-East requires an annual investment of $10 billion over the next 30 years to bridge its infrastructure gap. However, for the 2025 fiscal year, the National Assembly approved only ₦140 billion for the SEDC, which pales in comparison to the region’s needs. This raises concerns about whether funding will be adequate and sustained to meet the commission’s ambitious goals.
Public scepticism remains high due to the failures of similar commissions in delivering on their promises. For instance, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which was established to develop the oil-rich Niger Delta region, has been plagued by corruption and mismanagement.
The NDDC’s struggles with transparency and accountability have eroded trust in regional development initiatives. Bureaucratic inefficiencies and political interference are common issues in regional development commissions across Nigeria. By 2021, over 13,000 projects were either abandoned or incomplete despite receiving approximately ₦6 trillion between 1999 and 2021.
This history serves as a cautionary tale for the SEDC, which must navigate similar bureaucratic hurdles and could follow a similar trajectory.
The South-East region also grapples with critical security issues, including secessionist agitation and widespread erosion. The region currently has over 2,500 active erosion sites, displacing thousands of people and disrupting livelihoods. Additionally, poor infrastructure such as inadequate road networks further complicates project implementation and deters private investment needed for regional development.
What SEDC Must Do to Remain Relevant
To ensure the SEDC remains relevant and achieves its transformative goals, some strategic recommendations must be considered. The SEDC should foster strong partnerships with federal government agencies, state governments, the private sector, and international organisations like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to leverage resources and expertise. This collaboration can help secure innovative financing mechanisms, such as a South-East Development Fund, to support bankable infrastructure projects.
It is also crucial to prioritise projects that address critical infrastructure deficits, promote industrialisation, and enhance economic empowerment. This includes rebuilding war-damaged areas, modernising infrastructure, and establishing agro-industrial zones to boost entrepreneurship and job creation.
Transparency and accountability must be a core focus. The commission should institute transparent and accountable processes for project selection, design, execution, and monitoring to prevent issues like abandoned or substandard projects. This will help build public trust and ensure the commission’s activities are aligned with best practices.
In addition, collaboration with local communities to enhance security through surveillance systems and strengthen vigilante groups will be essential. Furthermore, investing in large-scale erosion control projects to address ecological crises threatening lives and properties should be prioritised.
SEDC will also do well by facilitating partnerships between the Igbo diaspora and local communities to attract investments and transfer knowledge. This can be a powerful tool for regional development through mentorship, funding, and advocacy.
The SEDC holds immense potential to transform the South-East, but its success depends on diligent leadership, robust funding, and an unwavering commitment to transparency. Whether it will fulfil its promise or become another bureaucratic illusion is a question only time can answer.
Dr Mbamalu, a Jefferson Journalism Fellow, member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Media Consultant, is the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Prime Business Africa
Dr. Marcel Mbamalu is a communication scholar, journalist and entrepreneur. He holds a Ph.D in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and is the Chief Executive Officer Newstide Publications, the publishers of Prime Business Africa.
A seasoned journalist, he horned his journalism skills at The Guardian Newspaper, rising to the position of News Editor at the flagship of the Nigerian press. He has garnered multidisciplinary experience in marketing communication, public relations and media research, helping clients to deliver bespoke campaigns within Nigeria and across Africa.
He has built an expansive network in the media and has served as a media trainer for World Health Organisation (WHO) at various times in Northeast Nigeria. He has attended numerous media trainings, including the Bloomberg Financial Journalism Training and Reuters/AfDB training on Effective Coverage of Infrastructural Development of Africa.
A versatile media expert, he won the Jefferson Fellowship in 2023 as the sole Africa representative on the program. Dr Mbamalu was part of a global media team that covered the 2020 United State’s Presidential election. As Africa's sole representative in the 2023 Jefferson Fellowships, Dr Mbamalu was selected to tour the United States and Asia (Japan and Hong Kong) as part of a 12-man global team of journalists on a travel grant to report on inclusion, income gaps and migration issues between the US and Asia.
