The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) will convene its maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit from 14th to 15th September 2026 at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja (formerly Sheraton Hotel).
The
two-day Summit, which begins daily at 10:00 a.m., is themed: “The Great Leap
Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for
the North Central Region.”
It will
bring together top political leaders, key government institutions, traditional
rulers, technocrats, private sector players, youth and women groups, persons
with disabilities, development partners, and other critical stakeholders to
deliberate on a comprehensive development agenda for the region.
His
Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, is expected to grace the occasion as Distinguished Guest of Honour.
His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, Vice President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, will serve as Special Guest.
The Summit
will also be honoured by the presence of former Heads of State and illustrious
sons of the region: General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR; General Ibrahim Badamasi
Babangida, GCFR; and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, GCFR, who are expected to
attend as Fathers of the Day.
Air Vice
Marshal Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru (rtd.), former Military Governor of Kano and
Kwara States, will serve as Chairman of the Occasion. His Excellency, Engr.
Abdullahi Sule, Governor of Nasarawa State and Chairman of the North Central
Governors’ Forum, will be the Chief Host. He will lead Governors of the six
other North Central States and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to
the Summit.
The
Keynote Address will be delivered by renowned academic, diplomat, politician,
and administrator, Professor Iorwuese Hagher. He will lead discussions on the
Summit’s central theme and the imperative for a long-term, coordinated, and
sustainable development strategy for the region.
Speaking
ahead of the Summit, the Chairman of the NCDC, Barr. Cosmas Akighir, Ph.D.,
said the event would provide a strategic platform for stakeholders to
collectively examine the development challenges and opportunities confronting
the region, and to chart a new course for its holistic transformation.
According
to him, the Summit will convene stakeholders from government, the private
sector, development partners, academia, and civil society to develop a shared
vision and actionable framework for the sustainable development of the North
Central geopolitical zone.
The
Managing Director/CEO of the NCDC, Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, stated that the
Summit was deliberately convened to galvanize strategic stakeholders within the
North Central region and beyond, in order to actualize the mandate of the
Commission.
Dr.
Tsenyil explained that the Summit would also provide an opportunity to align
the development priorities of the region with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration. It will further create a
broad-based framework for partnerships, investments, and interventions aimed at
accelerating economic growth and improving the quality of life of the people.
He
stressed that transforming the North Central region cannot be achieved by
government alone, and called for strong collaboration among governments at all
levels, the private sector, development partners, communities, and other
stakeholders.
Also
speaking, the Chairman of the Summit Steering Committee, Alhaji Suleiman Baba
Ali, disclosed that the Commission is working closely with its Technical
Partner, Phillips Consulting, to ensure a successful Summit that will produce
meaningful outcomes and meet the aspirations of the people of the region.
The
opening ceremony will hold on Monday, 14th September 2026. Day two will feature
panel discussions, technical sessions, breakout sessions, side meetings, and
other strategic engagements designed to deepen conversations around the
proposed 20-year development plan.
The Summit
is expected to culminate in broad stakeholder consensus and concrete
recommendations for the formulation and implementation of a long-term
development blueprint. This will position the North Central region as a major
hub for economic growth, infrastructure, investment, innovation, and social
development in Nigeria.
The
Commission, therefore, invites all stakeholders and development actors across
the region and beyond to participate actively in this historic Summit as the
North Central region takes a decisive step towards “The Great Leap Forward.”
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