The Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), and Afenifere, the Pan-Yoruba socio-political and cultural organisation, have expressed different opinions on the newly established regional development commissions.
While the MBF believes that the creation of these commissions will promote balanced development across Nigeria, PANDEF sees them as a means to accelerate regional growth, arguing that current development efforts are not regionally inclusive.
However, MASSOB cautioned that without genuine federal commitment and clear implementation strategies, these commissions risk becoming a “wild goose chase” rather than delivering meaningful progress. Meanwhile, Afenifere threw its full support behind the South-West Development Commission, emphasizing its potential to drive growth in the region.
Recall that on Monday, President Bola Tinubu signed three bills into law: South-West Development Commission Bill, South-South Development Commission Bill and Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025
These new laws are expected to shape Nigeria’s development trajectory, though concerns remain about their implementation and effectiveness.
MBF: Development Commissions will create balanced development across Nigeria
The National President of Middle Belt Forum Dr. Bitrus Pogu, who spoke on behalf of the group, defended the creation of the development commissions by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adding that it is aimed at creating balanced development across Nigeria.
The MBF National President emphasised that the commission is not driven by regionalism, but rather a desire to address issues affecting various zones across the nation.
While drawing parallels with former Head of State, General Sani Abacha’s Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), the President described the programme as an intervention aimed at promoting balanced development.
“The PTF, established in 1994, was a fund dedicated to addressing infrastructure deficits and promoting economic development across Nigeria.
Dr. Pogu acknowledged that the creation of additional states, as advocated by some, could potentially lead to a reduction in state powers.
He explained that the current Commissions are focused on developmental efforts, with all zones now having developmental commissions in place.
When asked about the Commissions’ potential impact, the Pogu stressed that its success depends on effective management of allocated funds.
“With each commission receiving over 100 billion naira, proper management could lead to positive outcomes across the zones, complementing both state and federal government efforts.
MBF National President’s comments come as Nigeria continues to grapple with issues of development and regional imbalance.
PANDEF: The development commissions will fast track development in the various regions
Commenting on the issue, the National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Chief Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, said that “Regionalism is different from creating a development commission. The development commissions will help to fast track development in the various regions and in fact what we have now is not a regional development. It is zonal development. We don’t have regions in Nigeria now.
“What we have now political zones. Zones are different from regions. But it is a welcome idea that the government has found it worthy to create geopolitical zones development commissions.
“We are now calling on the government to ensure that capable people are engaged and appointed to run the various geo political zones development commissions.
“For instance, the South South Development Commission, PANDEF is calling on the Federal Government of President Bola Tinubu to ensure that capable hands are appointed to run the commission so that it will not look like the NDDC where so much money had been released but there is no impact in the zone. We want this one to take off with credible people. It should not be on political patronage.
“The issue of regional government is different. PANDEF is also interested in true federalism where people will control their resources and pay tax to the centre. That is true federalism which PANDEF is an apostle of.
“If Nigeria can practice true federalism, we will develop speedily because it means that the different zones will develop with the resources they have.
‘Take for instance the money for gold is not on the table to be shared to all the states of the Federation. It is only the money from oil and gas from the South South that is being shared to all the states of the Federation.
“Individuals now mine the gold which is a major sin against the Nigerian state. So we want the Nigerian government to brace up to the challenge that it swore to stop artisanal gold mining.
“If the government can stop artisanal refinery in the Niger Delta we see no reason why it cannot stop artisanal gold mining in Northern Nigeria.
“The money that the federal government borrows to do projects and pay salaries in Nigeria can be stopped if there is proper gold mining that takes money to the coffers of the federal government because the gold will be far bigger than the money that the federal government borrows internally and externally.
“There is a double standard in Nigeria. PANDEF is now saying that people of South South Zone should not be treated as second class citizens.
MASSOB: It will be a wild goose chase if government fails to commit to regional commissions
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) cautioned that the Development Commissions risk becoming a “wild goose chase” without genuine federal commitment and clear implementation strategies.
The pro-Biafra group described such commissions as a “modern approach to regionalism” but stressed that their success hinges on political will, funding, and grassroots engagement.
MASSOB leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, who spoke for the group, emphasised that while the Southeast Development Commission (SEDC) and similar bodies could bridge regional disparities by addressing localised economic and infrastructure needs, their effectiveness remains uncertain without systemic accountability. “Regional Development Commissions are not magic solutions. They require proper structure, sustainable funding, and the buy-in of local stakeholders,” Madu stated.
MASSOB, which has long advocated for self-determination, affirmed it would “closely monitor” the SEDC’s progress, citing historical marginalisation of the Southeast.
Madu acknowledged the commissions’ potential to drive growth if strategically managed but warned of pitfalls. “Without federal support and transparency, these initiatives could devolve into wasteful ventures,” he said, adding that vague frameworks risked deepening public skepticism.
He further stressed that “political will from FG and active community participation” are non-negotiable to avoid perceptions of the SEDC as another hollow gesture. “If the government treats this as a box-ticking exercise, it will fail. Communities must own the process,” he insisted.
Afenifere backs Tinubu’s Southwest Development Agenda
The Spokesperson of the mainstream Yoruba organisation, Comrade Jare Ajayi, while commenting on the commissions, said that Regional Development Commissions signed into law have the potential of accelerating development.
In his reaction to the signing of the bills into law, Ajayi stated that the signing of regional development commissions’ bills into law by President Tinubu “is the right thing to do”.
According to him, the establishments of the remaining regional development commissions further demonstrated President Tinubu’s commitment to regional empowerment and economic development, ‘as affirmed by Senator Basheer Lado, Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters.
Afenifere spokesman said that regional commissions should also engendering endogenous initiatives to catalyze development from the local levels.
He said; “It is in the public domain that Afenifere has always advocated for a system that will challenge creativity at local, state, regional and national levels. It is one of the main reasons for our unrelenting advocacy for Restructuring. The creation of regional development commissions can be seen as an instrument pointing in the direction of our advocacy”.
Ajayi said although creation of regional development commissions does not fully appropriate the kind of restructuring that Afenifere is calling for, “establishment of the commissions for each of the geo-political zones in the country is an admission or acknowledgment of the need to restructure”.
Ajayi expressed the optimism that the establishment of the Commissions will accelerate economic development and create more opportunities.
The spokesperson of the group said Afenifere shares the optimism of Senator Gbenga Daniel that “the South-West Development Commission will definitely accelerate economic growth, improve infrastructure, and create more opportunities for the people of the region”.
According to him, Daniel was the one who moved the motion for the establishment of the South West Development Commission (SWDC) in the Upper Chamber.
