*Gov Mbah Proposes Single Economic Bloc As Five Governors Agree On Regional Cooperation
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Governors of the five South East states have agreed on the need for regional cooperation in intelligence sharing, infrastructure development, and the formulation of a harmonized integration plan to accelerate the zone’s 50-year development vision.
The agreement was highlighted during the South East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders Forum organized by the South East Development Commission (SEDC) at the International Conference Centre, Enugu on Wednesday.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended the forum, praised the region’s leadership, noting that high-quality governance has already facilitated significant development.
He described the Igbo people as “the hope of the black race” and emphasized that the South East region is vital to Nigeria.
Shettima also acknowledged decades of infrastructure deficits in the region, stating that the SEDC was established to address these imbalances.
Vice President Kashim Shettima launched the 25-year development blueprint for the region, describing the South East as a central pillar of Nigeria’s economic future.
He announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited to mobilise resources from the diaspora, capital markets and development finance institutions.
“This forum reflects foresight, responsibility and a shared understanding that the future is not something we wait for, but something we must deliberately design.
“In recognition of the distinctive character of the South-East, its entrepreneurial spirit, its global diaspora and its long-standing relationship with international capital, President Bola Tinubu approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited,” Shettima said.
He explained that the company would work in synergy with the SEDC to address post-war infrastructure gaps and drive long-term competitiveness.
“Let me be clear. This is not another layer of bureaucracy. It is a delivery institution, focused on tangible outcomes that translate into jobs, productivity and growth,” he added.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State said the South East must be re-imagined and built into a common market and bloc to realise its potentialities as an economic power house.
Mbah emphasised that the South East could no longer afford to operate as five parallel states, and commended President Bola Tinubu for the establishment of the South East Development Commission, SEDC, as a clear demonstration of an understanding that regional development does not occur in isolation.
“I am here to invite you to a bold re-imagining of the South East as a single economic bloc. For too long, we have looked at our five states as individual islands, but the era of the solitary path is over.
“Today, I propose the birth of the South East Common Market – a bold, borderless unification of our commerce, our talent, and our industrial grit.
“By fusing our five distinct economies into one powerhouse, we are no longer just negotiating for a seat at the table; we are building the table ourselves.
“This is more than a policy shift; it is the awakening of an economic giant, transforming the South East into a single, seamless theatre of enterprise where our shared heritage fuels our collective prosperity,” he stated.
At the event, with the theme, “Charting a Shared Path to Sustainable Prosperity for South East Nigeria,” Mbah reminded the audience that the rules of prosperity were changing globally into a new era where those who could organise themselves, integrate their markets, and build systems at scale would rise, while those who could not would remain consumers of other people’s added value.
He described the South East Vision 2050 as an instrument to help the region solve problems that no single state could solve alone.
Governor Mbah said the development plan must be matched with immediate action, starting with a region-wide feasibility and project preparation phase to be jointly funded and governed.
“Second, we must begin with logistics and connectivity, because economies do not integrate on paper, they integrate through movement.
“The South East needs its first deliberately designed interstate logistics corridors, road, rail, inland hubs, and multi-modal systems that allow goods, people, and services to move seamlessly across state lines.
“These are not prestige projects. They are productivity infrastructure, and they must be planned and contracted as regional assets, not state trophies.
“Third, security must be treated as regional infrastructure. Criminal networks do not respect state boundaries, and neither should our response.
“We must commit to enhanced cross regional security coordination, shared intelligence, interoperable communication, and a centralised information and response hub that allows state security architectures and federal agencies to act as one system.
“Fourth, we must align the rules of engagement, investment processes, regulatory expectations, and dispute resolution, so that the South East presents a coherent face to capital, enterprise, and its own citizens.”
He said it was regrettable that a region where identity was common and markets connected, producers and buyers across distances and life worked by collaboration, still suffered fragmentation.
“That fragmentation is no longer a historical footnote. It has become a present-day constraint. The world we are operating in now is unforgiving of disconnection and lack of unity. The global economy does not reward isolated effort.
“It rewards regions that can act as systems, regions that can coordinate infrastructure, align skills with industry, move goods efficiently, mobilise capital at scale, and present a clear, credible proposition to investors and their own people,” Mbah explained.
Speaking at the forum, the South East governors highlighted key areas for regional integration.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti emphasized power integration, noting that with Aba’s geometric power capacity, the entire South East could be connected to a single power grid.
“If we had started the debate earlier, we would have succeeded by now,” he said.
Governor Otti described the unanimous support for Vision 2050 as proof that economic transformation of the region was achievable through transparent and committed leadership.
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo called on the SEDC to prioritize projects critical to the region, including highway connectivity, a regional railway, a seaport, security, institutional frameworks, and other essential services.
Governor Soludo thanked President Tinubu for establishing the SEDC, describing the framework as historic for the region.
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru stated that his state has the capacity to feed the region.
Governor Nwifuru pledged his state’s support for the regional plan, noting that it would help close unemployment and poverty gaps, while unlocking economic potential in agriculture, education and solid minerals.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah stressed that sustainable regional development requires national support.
“We must build a different system, start by thinking differently. We must move from vision to execution, and the direction must be clearly set,” Mbah said.
President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Sen. John Azuta-Mbata, while highlighting the feeling of exclusion which had taken root in the region, commended the Federal Government for prioritising integration and development through the summit.
He said: “The South East has contributed immensely to Nigeria’s growth through enterprise, innovation and resilience. Yet, it would be dishonest not to acknowledge that over the years, feelings of exclusion, neglect and unresolved grievances have taken root in parts of our region. These sentiments, if left unaddressed, can weaken national cohesion.
“It is in this context that the South-East Development Commission assumes profound significance. Beyond its statutory mandate, the Commission represents a powerful instrument of reconciliation and healing. When properly empowered, adequately funded and sincerely supported, it can become a visible demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to equity, justice and inclusive development.”
Chairman of the South East Development Commission, Sir Emeka Wogu, thanked President Tinubu for his commitment to the progress and development of the South East.
He said the South East Vision 2050 was designed to ensure continuity in the execution of the region’s development agenda and synergy among the states.
The Managing Director of the SEDC, Mark Okoye, said the commission would partner state governments, the diaspora and the organised private sector to implement the Vision 2050 agenda, focusing on infrastructure, power, peace building and connectivity.
Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, said the creation of the SEDC reflected a firm institutional commitment to coordinated regional transformation, particularly in rail and commodity development.
Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole pledged her ministry’s support and described the South East as a potential springboard for Nigeria’s industrial transformation through export growth and trade facilitation.
The forum underscored a collective commitment by the South East governors to foster coordinated development and maximize the region’s socio-economic potential.
The forum ended with a shared commitment by South East leaders to pursue coordinated regional development that delivers infrastructure, economic growth and sustainable prosperity for the people.
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