Renewed Hope: Tinubu’s Reforms Position North Central for Economic Take-Off — Idris

By Pan Afric Reporters

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms, infrastructure investments and security initiatives are laying the foundation for accelerated economic growth, industrialisation and improved prosperity across Nigeria’s North Central region, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said.

Idris made the assertion on Monday in Abuja at the maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit, organised by the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), with the theme, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region.”

The Minister’s position was contained in a statement issued by Rabiu Ibrahim, mnipr, Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, on Monday, September 14, 2026, following the Minister’s address at the summit.

Idris said the region’s vast agricultural land, solid mineral deposits, energy resources and strategic geographical location offer enormous opportunities for industrialisation, investment and job creation.

He cited major federal infrastructure projects across the region, including the Buruku-Logo Bridge and Makurdi-Gboko Road in Benue State; Mararaba-Keffi expansion; Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri Superhighway; Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway; Gwada-Shiroro Road; and the approved completion of the 71-kilometre Minna-Suleja Road in Niger State.

“These are not simply roads and bridges; they are economic infrastructure connecting farms to markets, reducing transportation costs and creating opportunities for trade and investment,” Idris said.

Lithium Facility Signals Shift to Value Addition

The Minister also pointed to the recently commissioned $250 million Diamond New Energy lithium mining and processing facility in Nasarawa State, describing it as an example of the Federal Government’s drive to move the country beyond the export of raw minerals towards processing, industrialisation and value addition.

He said the government was simultaneously expanding agricultural mechanisation, irrigation, financing, storage and processing facilities to position the North Central as a major agricultural and agro-industrial hub.

“For the North Central, Renewed Hope means connecting agriculture to agro-processing, minerals to manufacturing, energy to industry, skills to employment and infrastructure to markets,” he stated.

Idris said the administration’s immediate priority, as the country approaches the 2027 political season, was to ensure that the gains from ongoing economic reforms translate into increased production, more jobs, lower costs, higher incomes and improved living standards.

Idris Backs State Police

On security, the Minister said the Tinubu administration was strengthening the Armed Forces and Nigeria Police Force through additional recruitment, improved equipment, technology and intelligence capabilities, enhanced inter-agency coordination and strategic partnerships.

He also cited the establishment of Forest Guards and the August rescue of 308 abducted Nigerians in Niger and Kwara states, describing the operation as evidence of improved intelligence-led collaboration among security agencies.

Idris further expressed support for the establishment of State Police, saying a properly designed system with strong safeguards for professionalism and accountability could bring policing closer to communities while complementing federal security agencies.

‘Great Leap Forward Must Produce Tangible Results’

The Minister charged the NCDC to translate its 20-year development vision into measurable outcomes capable of improving the lives of citizens across the region.

“The ‘Great Leap Forward’ should ultimately be measured not by meetings held or documents produced, but by safer communities, productive farms, better infrastructure, new industries, expanding businesses, jobs for our young people and rising household prosperity,” Idris said.

Representing President Tinubu at the summit, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said the creation of regional development commissions was intended to accelerate development by addressing regional disparities and unlocking the potential of different parts of the country.

Akume urged the NCDC to pursue tangible and transformative projects in infrastructure, transportation, industrialisation, security, human capital development, education and healthcare, while leveraging public-private partnerships and development financing.

“Development must be about the people and not on paper,” Akume said.

He warned against allowing the summit to become another platform where ideas are discussed and reports produced without implementation.

“This Summit should not end up as one of those platforms where ideas are ventilated and reports generated only to be left gathering dust on the shelves,” he added.

NCDC Targets Coordinated Regional Economy

In his opening remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, Dr. Cyril Tsenyil, FCNA, said the summit was designed to mark a turning point in the development of the North Central by moving the region from fragmented state-level initiatives towards a coordinated regional economy.

According to him, the Commission intends to build development around shared infrastructure, investment and prosperity while identifying constraints, mobilising resources and partnerships, coordinating development efforts and monitoring implementation.

He identified agriculture and agro-processing, minerals, infrastructure, digital connectivity, small and medium-sized enterprises and regional economic corridors as key areas of focus.

“The real question is: How do we convert this potential into productive assets, competitive businesses, quality jobs, and measurable improvements in the lives of our people?” Tsenyil asked.

“That is the challenge of this Summit, and this is why the North Central Development Commission exists,” he added.

The summit was attended by the Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi A. Suleiman, CON, FNSE; Deputy Governor of Benue State, Barr. Dr. Samuel Ode, mni, who represented the governor; Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Salifu Joel Oyibo; Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba; Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh; Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmadu; former Military Governor of Kwara and Kano states, AVM Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru (Rtd), FWC, FNSE; and Chairman of the NCDC Governing Board, Barr. Cosmas Akighir, PhD, among other dignitaries.