Minister Momoh Deepens Partnership With European Union To Accelerate Regional Development Across Nigeria

The Honourable Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, FNSE, has reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with the European Union (EU) and other development agencies to drive sustainable regional growth across Nigeria.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gautier Mignot,in Abuja, the Minister described the engagement as a strategic milestone in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to Engr. Momoh, the Ministry’s mandate covers all regions of the country, coordinating the activities of the regional development commissions to ensure balanced growth and inclusion.

> “Our mandate is very clear. We are coordinating development efforts across all regions, and with the EU’s support, we can further enhance technical capacity, manpower development, and institutional efficiency,” Momoh stated.

He emphasized that the Ministry’s engagements with development partners have already yielded significant results, adding that the EU’s renewed involvement will help strengthen Nigeria’s regional planning framework and implementation capacity.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmadu, described the EU visit as timely, noting that the Ministry, which evolved from the former Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, now supervises seven regional development commissions — three in the North and four in the South.

He highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the North-East Development Master Plan, the proposed regional airline for the North-East, and the renovation of two secondary schools per senatorial district under the PBED Programme as examples of strategic interventions aimed at driving inclusive growth.

The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mary Ogbe, also revealed that the Ministry is in talks with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to convene a roundtable session that will produce a comprehensive master plan for all regional development commissions.

In his remarks, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gautier Mignot, commended the Ministry’s strategic vision and expressed the Union’s readiness to collaborate closely with Nigeria in implementing regional projects that foster unity and productivity.

> “The purpose of our visit is to understand how to strengthen the work of the regional development commissions and support projects that unify the regions,” Ambassador Mignot stated.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to establish a technical working group to identify key priority areas for immediate EU assistance, signaling a new chapter of cooperation between Nigeria and the European Union in advancing regional prosperity and sustainable development.

iReporteronline News Desk