FG Unveils New Measures to Stop Project Duplication and Strengthen Oversight of Regional Commissions

The federal government has announced a major policy shift aimed at eliminating project duplication and enforcing stricter oversight on all regional development commissions across the country.

The Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, disclosed the new measures on Thursday in Benin City, Edo State, during a sectoral retreat for the leadership of the ministry, boards and management of the seven regional development commissions, and members of the National Assembly.

The retreat, themed “Fresh ideas to unlock the potential of the region,” brought together chairmen and chief executives of the Niger Delta Development Commission, North East Development Commission, South East Development Commission, North West Development Commission, South South Development Commission, South West Development Commission, and North Central Development Commission, alongside development partners including UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme.

Speaking at the event, Momoh declared that the era of fragmented interventions, abandoned projects, and inter-agency rivalry must come to an end. He warned that new projects would only be approved after existing ones were substantially completed and properly assessed for impact.

“One of the recurring challenges we face is duplication of efforts, uncompleted projects, and inter-agency rivalry. This has to stop,” the minister said. “New projects must only commence when existing ones are substantially completed and assessed for impact. I will also admonish the regional development commissions to ensure they complete a project before embarking on another.”

The minister explained that the establishment of additional development commissions across all six geo-political zones was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader “Renewed Hope Agenda,” anchored on a strategic commitment to geo-spatial development rather than geo-political considerations alone.

Momoh outlined priority areas for the commissions, including roads, bridges, transportation links, healthcare delivery, security support systems, digital infrastructure, and youth and women empowerment programmes. He further urged the commissions to consider establishing centres of excellence in healthcare delivery and other fields of human endeavour.

As part of the new oversight framework, the minister disclosed that the leadership of the commissions would enter into performance bonds with the ministry, setting clear benchmarks and indicators to evaluate progress. He also announced plans to introduce a peer review mechanism among the commissions to promote accountability, performance benchmarking, and healthy competition.

“This retreat is not just another meeting,” Momoh said. “It is a significant milestone in reaffirming our shared responsibility to transform our regions into zones of prosperity, peace and opportunity. We must invest decisively in critical infrastructure, physical and digital, to ensure seamless connectivity and accessibility across and within regions.”

The Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, described the retreat as a “call to action,” emphasizing that unlocking regional potential requires fresh thinking, stronger collaboration, and decisive implementation.

“This theme is not merely a slogan,” Ahmadu said. “It is a call to action. We must think afresh, collaborate more intentionally, and act with greater urgency.”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Regional Development, Senator Jide Ipinsagba, who attended the retreat, pledged legislative backing and oversight to ensure effective implementation of the policies. He warned that uneven development could undermine national prosperity.

“No nation can achieve true prosperity if growth is uneven or opportunities are limited to a few centres,” Ipinsagba said.

Representing Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, the deputy governor, Dennis Idahosa, described the retreat as timely given Nigeria’s uneven development trajectory, stressing that “no region must be left behind.”

Momoh further urged the commissions to explore alternative funding models, including public-private partnerships, in response to declining public revenues, while maintaining strict adherence to due process, transparency, and accountability. He emphasized that the government would enforce transparency and strict adherence to due process across all regional development initiatives.