NDDC Stagnation Blamed on 16 MDs in 25 Years, Says Ogbuku

Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has attributed the commission’s sluggish development record to years of leadership instability. Ogbuku disclosed that the NDDC has cycled through 16 different MDs and CEOs within a span of 25 years, a turnover he said created chronic instability and undermined project continuity.

A confirmation of his statement was also issued in Port Harcourt by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director of Corporate Affairs at the NDDC.

Dr. Ogbuku emphasized the current board’s alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and reaffirmed their commitment to executing the President’s mandate of completing abandoned projects throughout the region. According to him, “Niger Deltans owe a debt of gratitude to President Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to the region’s sustainable development.”

He pledged that all critical, long-neglected infrastructure will be completed before the end of President Tinubu’s tenure.

Highlighting new operational strategies, Ogbuku revealed that the commission has embraced public-private partnerships as its central policy model. One such breakthrough, he noted, was a signed Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria LNG Limited to jointly develop high-impact projects across the region.

Regarding oversight and accountability, Ogbuku explained that state offices of the NDDC have been equipped with vehicles and necessary tools for more effective project monitoring, resulting in improved project quality and compliance with international standards. He stressed the commission’s preference for local contractors, asserting that the quality of delivery is being safeguarded through stringent supervision.

The NDDC, he said, is undergoing a transformation from merely managing transactions to catalyzing systemic change—an internal evolution captured in their policy of “transitioning from transaction to transformation.”

In the entrepreneurship domain, Ogbuku announced the creation of a comprehensive youth database and support for regional entrepreneurs through collaborations with the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce. This database, he added, will support regional planning efforts and foster inclusive economic development.

To promote financial integrity and investor confidence, the NDDC has partnered with KPMG to establish a corporate governance structure and streamline Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). According to Ogbuku, these steps are critical for building transparency and trust with both partners and stakeholders.

He concluded by affirming the NDDC’s role as a development partner, not a competitor, to state governments, emphasizing that collaboration and stakeholder engagement remain central to the commission’s vision for a transformed Niger Delta.