Published by Alphapressmedia
The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has issued a resounding call for the transformation of the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC), urging the regional investment body to shed its legacy inertia and embrace a future defined by innovation, profitability, and job creation.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Chairman of the NSGF and Governor of Gombe State, speaking through the Forum’s Director-General Ezekiel Gomos, declared that NNDC must “rise to meet the economic realities facing Northern Nigeria or risk irrelevance.”
At the close of a two-day retreat in Abuja, Yahaya painted a stark picture of the North’s challenges: rising unemployment, insecurity, and weakening investor confidence. He insisted that NNDC must evolve from a passive custodian of assets into a profit-driven institution capable of catalyzing growth.
- Digital economy focus: Yahaya urged NNDC to invest aggressively in ICT, fintech, and innovation-driven enterprises, warning that failure to harness youth potential would be a “missed generational opportunity.”
- Restructuring options: He outlined pathways including restructuring, partnerships, repositioning, or outright divestment, stressing that sentiment must not override profitability.
- Linking economy to stability: Yahaya emphasized that insecurity cannot be tackled without jobs and economic opportunities, making NNDC’s revival central to regional peace.
- Rediscovering founding vision: Former NNDC GMD Mohammed Hayatu-Deen reminded participants that “hard decisions” are necessary to realign the company with its original mission as a strategic economic vehicle.
The Road Ahead
Speakers including Mal. Tanimu Yakubu, DG of the Budget Office, and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen reinforced the urgency of bold reforms. The consensus was clear: NNDC must evolve into a catalyst for Northern revival, driving investments that generate employment, boost productivity, and restore investor confidence.
This retreat signals a turning point. The North’s economic future may well hinge on whether NNDC embraces decisive leadership and innovation—or fades into irrelevance as a relic of the past.
