North West Development Commission must shape up to deliver

While it is still early days for the North West Development Commission (NWDC), established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2024, it is imperative for the commission to swiftly align its operations to achieve its stated mission of fostering economic growth, social stability, and infrastructural development. In July 2024, President Tinubu signed the North West […]

While it is still early days for the North West Development Commission (NWDC), established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2024, it is imperative for the commission to swiftly align its operations to achieve its stated mission of fostering economic growth, social stability, and infrastructural development.

In July 2024, President Tinubu signed the North West Development Commission Establishment Act into law, with the objective of driving human capital development, education, security, agriculture, and infrastructure in the states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara. These states have been severely affected by banditry, illegal mining, and insecurity. The region is also the “epicentre” of poverty in the country, with approximately 45.5 million multidimensionally poor individuals according to the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This region accounts for the highest number of out-of-school children in the country. These indices not only represent a clear and present danger to the region and its stability but also threaten its future.

With subsistence agriculture as the primary economic activity in the North West, the displacement of millions of people from their villages and farmlands presents significant human and economic costs, highlighting the insecurity in the country and threatening the nation’s food security. This situation warrants immediate and critical intervention, such as the one the commission is designed to provide.

The urgency of the task before the commission cannot be overstated, as further deterioration of the situation in the geopolitical zone could result in multigenerational poverty and violence driven by the need for economic sustenance. This is why it is imperative that this commission stops floundering and effectively mobilises to tackle the challenges for which it was established.

However, the commission has been hampered by a series of avoidable controversies. Firstly, the appointment of the board of directors by the president was criticised for its lack of representation. The Christian Association of Nigeria lamented the non-inclusion of Christians on the Board of Directors. This led the Senate to suspend the confirmation of the board members but ultimately failed to address their concerns satisfactorily.

Similarly, internal governance tensions have raised concerns about the commission’s ability to function as a unified body. These tensions came to a head recently when the NWDC announced a scholarship and bursary scheme, which the board of directors’ chair, Lawal Samaila Abdullahi, denounced, stating that the proposal was not discussed or agreed upon, directly contradicting the Commission’s Managing Director and CEO, Prof Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji.

While such tensions are not unusual in a new MDA, it is concerning that these issues are playing out in public. Coupled with an oversight engagement with a joint committee of the National Assembly that revealed persistent internal governance tensions, the outlook does not bode well for the NWDC.

The non-release of the take-off grant is operationally damaging for the NWDC because, without this critical financial foundation, the commission will remain structurally limited in translating its statutory mandate into tangible and measurable outcomes. The prolonged delay in releasing these funds has confined the commission to preparatory activities.

Already, the commission reported that in 2025, it was proposed to receive approximately N589.93 billion. That figure has been slashed to N145.61 billion in 2026, primarily to cover salaries for commission staff.

While it is unclear how much of this appropriated budget was released in the preceding year, the arbitrary manner in which the scholarship scheme was proposed for international students raises early questions about accountability and clarity of purpose. This commission cannot afford such distractions due to the sensitivity of its mission.

The political, traditional and other leaders of the region have much to contribute in the success of the commission. They must help in articulating and ensuring successful execution of its mandates as they know much better the needs of the people. It is disheartening that a recent summit organized by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the North-West Development Commission, was not attended by a single governor from the region.

What also this signified is the lack of interest of the political leadership in the work of the commission and may affect synergy between the commission and the various state governments.

The commission has the benefit of learning from previously established sister commissions, such as the Niger Delta Development Commission, and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to study and improve upon and does not have excuse for failure.

The board and management of the commission must take their assignment as a trust for the people of the region who look forward to any move to improve their living conditions with  eargerness.