Nigeria Seeks Indonesia Partnership To Tackle Regional Development Challenges
By Stella Enenche, Abuja
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to addressing the unique development challenges confronting Nigeria’s diverse regions through targeted policies and strategic partnerships.
Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, stated this when he received Indonesia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Bambang Suharto, during a courtesy visit on Friday, in Abuja.
Ahmadu said the ministry’s primary role is to formulate policies and supervise regional development commissions to ensure they effectively deliver on mandates assigned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Minister Ahmadu in a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Mr. Sani Datti said the government resources are being prioritised based on the most pressing needs of each region.
“The President has directed that resources be prioritised based on immediate regional needs. In the North-East, for example, we collaborate closely with security agencies to tackle emerging challenges,” the minister said.
He listed infrastructure, renewable energy, education, healthcare, agriculture and capacity building as priority areas for the ministry.
Ahmadu also highlighted a pilot initiative focused on providing solar off grid electricity to local government areas across the country, particularly in the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions, many of which have been affected by insurgency.
He explained that insurgents often target electricity infrastructure to isolate communities before launching attacks, adding that stable renewable power would enable residents to run small businesses and strengthen local economies.
In his remarks, Ambassador Suharto said Nigeria and Indonesia share similar development realities, including large populations of about 230 million people and significant infrastructure needs.
He noted that Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, faces logistical and development challenges comparable to Nigeria’s.
The ambassador expressed Indonesia’s readiness to invest in Nigeria’s agriculture and infrastructure sectors, citing ongoing livestock and dairy development initiatives as well as an infrastructure project in Sokoto that reportedly recorded about 70 per cent success.
Suharto also introduced the Danantara Indonesia Project, a government-owned sovereign wealth initiative expected to mobilise at least $100 million for investments in Nigeria.
He said the fund, supported by partners including France, Qatar, the United States and Saudi Arabia, would focus on eight key sectors: renewable energy, minerals, digital infrastructure, infrastructure and utilities, real estate, financial services, food and agriculture, and healthcare.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mary Ogbe, welcomed the proposed collaboration, stressing that infrastructure and energy remain critical drivers of development.
She also called for partnerships to address pressing health and social challenges in underserved communities, including Vesicovaginal Fistula and malnutrition.
