Tinubu Orders Timely Release Of Funds To Regional Development Commissions

President Bola Tinubu has directed the timely release of funds accruable to the various Regional Development Commissions, warning their boards and managements against corruption, waste and the execution of projects that do not directly benefit the people.

Tinubu gave the directive on Monday while declaring open the inaugural North Central Stakeholders Development Summit organised by the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) in Abuja.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the President said the Federal Government would continue to provide political and financial support to the development commissions to enable them implement projects capable of unlocking the economic and industrial potential of their respective regions.

“I therefore direct the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ensure that all funds accruable to the Commissions are released as and when due,” Tinubu said.

The President, however, urged the commissions to explore alternative sources of funding, including public-private partnerships, donor funding and development finance, rather than relying solely on government allocations.

He said the establishment of the Regional Development Commissions was part of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to accelerate development and address longstanding gaps across the country.

Tinubu stressed that the commissions were not created to replace, duplicate or usurp the responsibilities of any tier of government, but to complement existing efforts and close critical development gaps.

He identified roads, railways, air transportation, industrialisation, security, investment, human capital development, education and healthcare as key areas requiring coordinated regional intervention.

The President warned the commissions against embarking on white elephant projects, insisting that their programmes must be clear, attainable, properly funded and capable of producing tangible benefits for citizens.
“The era of white elephant projects is over and there is no excuse for the Commissions to become another conduit for wasting public funds,” he said.

Tinubu also directed the Ministry of Regional Development to ensure that the commissions operate within the framework of the Regional Development Policy Document, while urging the legislature to provide effective oversight.

He further warned board members and management of the commissions against corruption, marginalisation, politicisation and ethnicisation of government operations, saying anyone found culpable would face sanctions.

On the North Central, the President said the region possessed significant potential in agriculture, food production and agro-processing, solid minerals, industrial development, peace and security.

He said the region had remained below its potential for too long and urged stakeholders to use the summit to develop a new and sustainable development trajectory.

Tinubu also acknowledged the security challenges confronting the region, saying the Federal Government had intensified surveillance and intelligence gathering, established additional security formations, deployed more personnel and strengthened the prosecution of criminals, while supporting dialogue and reconciliation.

He charged the NCDC to complement these efforts, stressing that sustainable development could only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and security.

The President described the summit’s theme, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region,” as timely, urging participants to produce a consensus-driven development plan that reflects the aspirations of the people and aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He cautioned against allowing the summit to end with discussions and reports that are never implemented.

“This Summit should not end up as one of those platforms where ideas are ventilated and reports generated only to be left dusting on the shelves. The NCDC should show a better example by following through to implementation,” Tinubu said.

The statement was signed by Yomi Odunuga, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on September 14, 2026.