Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched a 25-year development blueprint for Nigeria’s South-East region and announced the approval of a new investment company to fund the plan.
The plan, named South-East Vision 2050, was unveiled on Wednesday at a regional stakeholders’ forum in Enugu. Its goal is to guide long-term economic transformation, focusing on infrastructure and industrialisation.
In a key move to finance the vision, Vice President Shettima stated that President Bola Tinubu has approved the creation of the South East Investment Company Limited.
“The President approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited to mobilise resources from the diaspora, capital markets, and development finance institutions,” Shettima said.
He explained that the new company will work with the existing South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to address infrastructure gaps and improve the region’s economic competitiveness.
“This is not another layer of bureaucracy. It is a delivery institution, focused on tangible outcomes that translate into jobs, productivity, and growth,” Shettima added.
All five governors of the South-East states were present and endorsed the plan.
· Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah called it “the awakening of an economic giant” and proposed a South-East common market.
· Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo thanked President Tinubu for establishing the SEDC, calling it a “gift” the region had long sought.
· Abia State Governor Alex Otti said the plan was key to the region’s “economic transformation,” while Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru pledged his state’s support for its implementation.
The forum also included representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), federal ministers, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-cultural group, and diaspora organisations, all of whom pledged cooperation.
The Vice President emphasised that the 25-year framework was a deliberate shift away from short-term planning cycles toward structured, long-term development.
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