A Symbol of Hope or Another Political Mirage?
When the South East Development Commission (SEDC) was finally signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024, there was a wave of cautious optimism across the South East. After years of agitation, legislative rejections, and regional neglect, the zone believed it had finally secured a dedicated institutional vehicle to drive development, tackle erosion, and rebuild its fragile economy.
But one year later, the truth is sobering: the SEDC remains a commission only in name, unfunded, unequipped, and yet to commence a single project.
What Was Promised: Grand Visions on Paper
The SEDC was envisioned to function like its counterparts, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC). The goals were clear: restore critical infrastructure, address environmental degradation, and stimulate regional economic revival through targeted investments.
From internal policy drafts and National Assembly reports, a ₦250 billion budget framework was originally proposed, covering:
Road rehabilitation and infrastructure
Erosion control across thousands of sites
Digital innovation hubs and youth empowerment centres
Industrial cluster revamps in Aba, Nnewi, and Onitsha
Oguta Lake tourism and inland port revitalization
Rail connectivity studies between Enugu, Owerri, Aba, and Onitsha
Security surveillance and communications hubs
Diaspora-backed investment funds
Each South East state, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo, had specific projects listed, and region-wide programs were outlined with timelines.
But as of today, none have taken off.
What Was Actually Approved: A Smaller Budget, Zero Execution
In February 2025, the National Assembly approved a trimmed ₦140 billion for the Commission in the 2025 Appropriation Act, nearly half of the initial policy proposal.
But the bigger scandal is this:
> As of August 2025, not a single naira has been released to the SEDC.
There’s no functioning secretariat, no public procurement, no contractors mobilized, and no ground-breaking ceremonies. Not even a single billboard or office signboard in the South East has emerged under SEDC’s name.
This is not mere delay, it is systemic sidelining masquerading as policy.
Board Appointed, But Stranded
By Oblong Media Investigations
Date: August 5, 2025
Yes, a board was inaugurated in February 2025, led by Mark Okoye as Managing Director and Dr. Emeka Wogu as Chairman. But without funding, staff, or political backing, the board is akin to a stranded ship in shallow waters, sailing nowhere.
Their attempts to craft a development roadmap, in partnership with the UNDP in July 2025, have not translated into operational results. What exists is policy paperwork without execution power.
Meanwhile: Other Regions Receive Billions
Consider this:
The NDDC was allocated ₦626.53 billion in the same 2025 budget cycle.
The NEDC received significant direct releases within six months of its establishment.
The SEDC, after 13 months, still has no traceable budget release.
This institutional disparity raises tough questions:
> Is the South East being punished for its political alignment?
Why is the federal government slow-walking the Commission’s takeoff?
Is this another calculated ploy to pacify a region without empowering it?
Viability: More Than Just a Regional Need
Analysts agree that the SEDC is not just viable, it is urgently necessary.
Economic Argument
The South East remains one of Nigeria’s most entrepreneurial zones, but lacks industrial-scale infrastructure. A properly empowered SEDC could:
Revive inland ports
Support MSMEs and export hubs
Expand value chains in agriculture and light manufacturing
Environmental Imperative
With over 2,800 documented erosion sites, the South East is battling an environmental emergency. The SEDC’s erosion control component alone could save billions in lost land and displacement costs.
Security and Stability
The region has seen rising insecurity. A fully operational Commission with a security infrastructure mandate could plug border loopholes, support community policing, and fund intelligence-gathering tech.
National Unity and Healing
For a region still bearing scars from the civil war and decades of neglect, the SEDC is a symbol of inclusion and reconciliation. Failing to fund it sends a dangerous message of exclusion.
South East Investment Company (SEIC): A Distraction or Complement?
In July 2025, President Tinubu announced the creation of the South East Investment Company (SEIC), a ₦150 billion capital vehicle designed to attract diaspora investment through bonds and equity stakes.
While commendable, many see it as a public relations band-aid meant to distract from the government’s failure to fund the SEDC. SEIC is a private-sector-facing instrument; it cannot replace the developmental intervention SEDC was designed to provide.
What Next? Time for the Region to Speak Up
The silence from many South East elites has been disappointing. A few voices in the National Assembly have spoken out, but there is no unified demand for action. Where are the governors? Where are the Igbo socio-cultural groups?
> If Ndigbo do not fight for the SEDC to be fully funded now, it risks going the way of every other forgotten federal promise.
The time for courtesy visits and roundtable conferences is over. What is needed now is massive public advocacy, litigation if necessary, and coordinated pressure on Abuja to treat the South East with the equity it deserves.
Ultimately: A Commission or a Consolation?
The South East Development Commission should be a cornerstone of regional recovery, a chance to heal, rebuild, and modernize. But without funding, transparency, and political urgency, it will remain another federal gimmick, a glorified press release.
If Nigeria is to be taken seriously as one nation, then regional equity must be more than slogans. It must be seen, felt, and experienced.
> The time to fund the SEDC is NOW, not in 2026, not when political favors are needed, not as compensation. But because development is a right, not a favour.
Oblong Media will continue to monitor this situation. Stay tuned.
For reactions, submissions, or whistleblower info, email:chimazuru65@gmail.com
OBLONG MEDIA UNLIMITED 
Leave a comment