The North East Development Commission (NEDC) says it has intensified efforts to accelerate reconstruction and economic recovery across the North-East, with thousands of projects delivered and new funding allocations secured to sustain ongoing interventions.
The Managing Director of the Commission, Mohammed Goni Alkali, disclosed this during a recent stakeholders’ engagement, noting that the agency is transitioning from emergency humanitarian response to long-term sustainable development.
Alkali said the commission had executed over 1,000 infrastructure projects spanning roads, schools, healthcare facilities and housing schemes across the region.
According to him, thousands of housing units have been constructed and rehabilitated to facilitate the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs), while millions of relief materials were distributed at the peak of the humanitarian crisis.
He added that the commission had also implemented agricultural support programmes targeting hundreds of thousands of farmers through the provision of improved seedlings, fertilisers and farming tools.
“We are deliberately shifting from humanitarian interventions to sustainable development, with emphasis on rebuilding livelihoods and institutions,” Alkali said.
The Source reports that the North-East region, comprising Borno State, Adamawa State, Yobe State, Gombe State, Bauchi State and Taraba State, has faced significant devastation from insurgency, with millions displaced and critical infrastructure destroyed.
The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum, commended the commission for its role in rebuilding communities and restoring livelihoods.
“The NEDC has played a critical role in supporting the rebuilding of communities and restoring hope to our people,” Zulum said.
On funding, the commission is expected to receive over N240 billion allocation in the 2026 fiscal year to support ongoing and new projects, including agricultural development, reconstruction of IDP camps, provision of potable water and security support initiatives.
The Budget Office of the Federation, however, clarified that the allocation is not solely for personnel costs, as widely speculated, but represents a statutory lump-sum covering diverse development interventions.
It explained that detailed project schedules under the budget include programmes such as food security initiatives, construction and rehabilitation of social infrastructure, and community-level development projects.
Analysts say the scale of intervention by the commission reflects a coordinated effort to rebuild the region, where over 2.5 million people were displaced and economic activities severely disrupted at the peak of the crisis.
They noted that improved road networks and restored healthcare facilities are gradually enhancing access to services, while agricultural interventions are helping to revive local economies.
Despite the progress recorded, stakeholders emphasised the need for sustained funding, transparency and improved security to consolidate gains already achieved.
They also stressed that continued collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments, development partners and local communities would be critical to ensuring long-term stability in the region.
The commission reiterated its commitment to implementing the North-East Stabilisation and Development Master Plan aimed at transitioning the region from recovery to growth.
Sources reports that the NEDC, established in 2017, remains central to the Federal Government’s strategy to rebuild the North-East and promote economic resilience in the region.
