Nigeria has launched the Core Working Group on Regional Development to drive coordinated growth under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda

The Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday inaugurated the Core Working Group on Regional Development, a decisive move aimed at operationalising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and strengthening coordinated development across the federation.

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The Core Working Group on Regional Development is mandated to drive harmonised implementation of regional initiatives, providing technical leadership, strategic alignment and operational oversight for regional development programmes nationwide.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, said President Tinubu’s commitment to balanced growth and inclusive national development was central to the establishment of regional development commissions.

He described the commissions as a powerful tool for closing long-standing development gaps while responding to Nigeria’s evolving socio-economic and security challenges.

Momoh, speaking through the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, assured that the ministry would ensure smooth operations and effective coordination of the Regional Development Commissions to deliver tangible benefits to Nigerians.

Ahmadu urged members of the working group to design practical and responsive policies that reflect the diverse needs of Nigeria’s regions and inspire stakeholder confidence.

He stressed that the group’s work must be guided by a region-by-region approach grounded in local realities, priorities and comparative advantages.

He added that all policy frameworks must align with national development plans and global best practices to guarantee continuity beyond political cycles, describing the task ahead as both strategic and urgent.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Regional Development, Dr Mariam Masha, pledged the full support of the Presidency to the working group and the ministry.

She described the inauguration as a clear shift from strategy to execution, emphasising that development efforts must be nationally coordinated while remaining regionally grounded.

Masha said the Renewed Hope Agenda seeks to reduce entrenched disparities in economic opportunity and human development across Nigeria, adding that success would depend on linking regional strategies to ward-level development so that transformation begins at the grassroots.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Development, Dr Mary Ogbe, said regional development was essential to reducing inequality, fostering social cohesion and unlocking economic opportunities nationwide.

She noted that the inauguration formally establishes a dedicated team to drive the design, coordination and implementation of regional development policies and programmes.

The Country Representative of UNICEF Nigeria, Wafaa Abdelatef, described the inauguration as a significant milestone and a promise of a more equitable and resilient future for Nigeria’s children.

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Represented by the Chief of Social Policy, Dr Hamidou Poufon, she reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the working group through evidence-based planning, capacity building and inclusive consensus-building.