South East a Key Economic Pillar for Tinubu Administration – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the South East region is central to President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda, describing it not as a concession but as a strategic pillar for Nigeria’s future development.

Shettima made the remarks at the South East Vision 2050 (SEV2050) Stakeholder Forum, organised by the South East Development Commission (SEDC) in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, Ministry of Regional Development, and state governments. The event took place at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

The forum brought together South East governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers, private sector actors, and other stakeholders to deliberate on long-term regional development.

“South East youths are not spectators in Nigeria’s national journey; your energy, creativity, and ambition are central to building the country we envision,” Shettima said.

He described the forum as an exercise in harnessing the region’s potential for long-term national development. “Vision SEV2050 asks us to plan beyond immediate needs and short-term fixes.

We must ask what kind of South East we intend to build over the next 25 years and deliver the infrastructure and human capital to make it possible,” he said.

Shettima also announced the approval of the South East Investment Company Limited, a vehicle to mobilise resources from the diaspora, capital markets, and development finance institutions for infrastructure and human capital projects across the region.

The Vice President said SEDC was created to address infrastructure deficits stemming from historical neglect after the civil war and stressed that effective development requires coordinated action among states, communities, and the private sector.

Governors at the forum outlined priorities for regional integration and growth.

Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo called for improved security, highways linking major cities, and investment in gas pipelines and seaports.

He urged the federal government to fully fund SEDC.

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah emphasised the need for interstate logistics corridors, multi-modal transport hubs, and infrastructure planned as regional assets rather than state projects.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti stressed the importance of energy investments to drive small-scale enterprises and private sector growth in the region.

The forum signals a coordinated effort to position the South East as a key economic hub within Nigeria’s 2050 development blueprint.