By Ado Ibrahim
The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) is set to bring together key stakeholders from across the region for a two-day development summit aimed at shaping a long-term economic, infrastructure and social development strategy for the North Central geopolitical zone.
The maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit will take place from September 14 to 15, 2026, at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, formerly Sheraton Hotel, with proceedings scheduled to commence at 10:00 a.m. daily.
The summit, which carries the theme, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region,” is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to assess the region’s development needs and establish priorities for the next two decades.
A press statement issued by the NCDC Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, said the gathering would attract political leaders, government officials, traditional rulers, technocrats, private sector representatives, development partners, academics, youth and women organisations, persons with disabilities and civil society actors.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is expected to attend the summit as Distinguished Guest of Honour, while Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, will serve as Special Guest.
The event will also bring together former Heads of State and prominent figures from the region, including 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, is scheduled to chair the occasion.
The Chief Host will be Governor Abdullahi A. Sule of Nasarawa State, who also chairs the North Central Governors’ Forum. He is expected to lead his counterparts from the six other North Central states, alongside the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, to the gathering.
The keynote address will be delivered by Professor Iorwuese Hagher, an academic, diplomat, politician and administrator, who will set the tone for discussions on the region’s long-term development prospects.
NCDC Chairman, Barr. Cosmas Akighir, Ph.D., said the summit was an opportunity for the region to move beyond isolated interventions and develop a coordinated approach to addressing its infrastructure, economic and social challenges.
Akighir said the Commission was seeking a common development vision that would bring government, businesses, development organisations, communities and other stakeholders onto the same platform.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, said the summit was designed to strengthen collaboration around the Commission’s mandate and establish practical pathways for achieving sustainable development across the region.
He said the proposed framework would also seek to connect North Central development priorities with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government, while creating opportunities for investment, partnerships and development interventions.
According to Tsenyil, government alone cannot deliver the scale of transformation required in the region, making sustained cooperation among federal, state and local governments, the private sector, development partners and communities essential.
The Chairman of the Summit Steering Committee, Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali, said the Commission was collaborating with its technical partner, Phillips Consulting, to ensure that the summit produces practical and measurable outcomes.
The first day of the summit will feature the opening ceremony, while the second day will focus on panel discussions, technical deliberations, breakout sessions, side meetings and other engagements centred on the proposed 20-year development framework.
At the end of the summit, the NCDC expects stakeholders to reach a broad consensus on development priorities and produce recommendations that can guide the formulation and implementation of the region’s long-term development blueprint.
The Commission said the initiative is intended to strengthen the North Central’s position as a destination for investment, innovation, infrastructure development and economic growth, while improving social outcomes for its people.
The NCDC has consequently invited stakeholders within and outside the region to participate in the summit as it begins the process of developing a shared and enduring roadmap for the North Central region.
