The Ministry of Regional Development has inaugurated a Core Working Group (CWG) on Regional Development as part of efforts to strengthen policy coordination, institutional effectiveness and inclusive growth across Nigeria.
The group was constituted on Monday in Abuja, during a high-level stakeholders’ engagement convened to set a clear policy direction for sustainable and balanced regional development.
Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, said the establishment of the Ministry and the Regional Development Commissions under the present administration reflects a deliberate national strategy to address long-standing regional imbalances.
According to him, the Development Commissions are strategic instruments designed to bridge development gaps while responding to emerging socio-economic and security challenges across the country.
He stressed that regional development policies must be locally grounded, secure, accountable and sustainable.
“A region-by-region approach must reflect local realities, priorities and comparative advantages, while the integration of security considerations should reinforce peace-building, community resilience and long-term stability,” the minister said.
He added that strong governance and accountability frameworks are essential, noting that clear performance indicators, effective monitoring systems and transparent processes are required to ensure alignment with national development plans and global best practices, as well as continuity beyond political cycles.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Mary Ogbe, described the inauguration of the CWG as a major milestone in institutional strengthening and improved service delivery.
In a statement by the Head Information and Public Relations, Sani Datti,she explained that the CWG will serve as the Ministry’s technical backbone, providing evidence-based inputs and ensuring coherence across departments and programmes
Dr Ogbe also noted that the inauguration coincided with the commencement of a Rights and Results-Based Management (RRBM) training aimed at improving the planning, implementation and measurement of regional development policies.
Delivering a keynote address on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Chief Social Policy, Mr Hamidu Poufon, said the Ministry of Regional Development plays a central role as the institutional anchor for achieving equitable and inclusive development across Nigeria’s regions.
He said the UNDP would support the Ministry as a technical partner, adding that regional development efforts must focus on driving balanced national progress by ensuring that development interventions are equitably distributed to address disparities and unlock regional potential in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The two-day stakeholders’ engagement is holding in Abuja from December 15 to 16, 2025, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, with support from the European Union, UNDP and UNICEF.
