The Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, has inspected major projects and strategic initiatives of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), reviewing their progress, developmental impact and readiness for commissioning as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to accelerate infrastructure and economic development across the region.
The Minister, who paid an official visit to the Commission in Maiduguri, was accompanied by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEDC, Dr Mohammed G. Alkali, during the inspection of some of the Commission’s flagship interventions.
The visit provided an opportunity for the Minister to assess firsthand the quality and progress of ongoing projects while reviewing preparations for the commissioning and inauguration of completed and substantially advanced interventions.
Among the projects inspected was the ongoing construction of the Jere Bowl Road Network, a major infrastructure intervention designed to improve connectivity, ease transportation and strengthen access between communities, markets and other economic centres.
The Minister also inspected the Commission’s Electric Vehicles (E-Vehicles) and Charging Infrastructure initiative, one of NEDC’s emerging interventions aimed at transforming transportation, promoting cleaner mobility and creating new economic opportunities for young people across the North-East.
FG Plans 10,000 Electric Vehicles Across Six States
Speaking with journalists after the inspection, Momoh said the Federal Government, through NEDC, was set to roll out 10,000 electric vehicles and charging stations across the six states of the North-East.
He explained that the vehicles would comprise electric buses, tricycles and taxis, with charging infrastructure strategically deployed to support transportation in both urban and rural communities.
According to the Minister, the initiative is expected to improve mobility while supporting the development of a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system in the region.
He said the project would also stimulate economic activities by creating opportunities for young people and businesses along the expanding electric mobility value chain.
The charging infrastructure will provide the foundation required for the reliable operation and wider adoption of electric vehicles, while creating opportunities for businesses involved in vehicle servicing, charging, logistics and other related services.
Dr Alkali: Assembly Plants Will Create Skills, Jobs and Enterprises
Dr Mohammed G. Alkali said the electric vehicle programme goes beyond the deployment of vehicles, stressing that NEDC is working towards developing an ecosystem that will generate employment, promote technology transfer and build indigenous technical capacity.
The NEDC chief executive said electric vehicle assembly plants would provide skills development, job creation and enterprise opportunities for youths across the North-East.
He explained that young people would have opportunities to acquire practical skills in areas such as vehicle assembly, maintenance, charging infrastructure and other emerging technologies associated with electric mobility.
Dr Alkali emphasised that the objective was to ensure that the North-East does not merely become a consumer of electric vehicles but develops the human capital and technical expertise needed to participate actively in the emerging industry.
The assembly plants are therefore expected to create opportunities for technicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, service providers and small and medium-sized enterprises operating within the electric mobility value chain.
NEDC Head Office Complex Also Inspected
The Minister also inspected the NEDC Head Office Complex, a landmark institutional project that is expected to strengthen the Commission’s capacity to coordinate and implement its development mandate across the six states of the North-East.
The project reflects NEDC’s broader institutional development strategy and its commitment to establishing the infrastructure required to support effective planning, coordination and delivery of development interventions across the region.
The inspection of the facility formed part of the Minister’s broader assessment of projects being implemented by the Commission and preparations for the commissioning and inauguration of completed projects.
From Infrastructure to Sustainable Economic Development
The projects inspected during the visit demonstrate the increasingly integrated approach being adopted by NEDC under the leadership of Dr Alkali, combining physical infrastructure with transportation, clean energy, institutional development, human capital development and enterprise creation.
The Jere Bowl Road Network, for instance, is expected to improve movement and connectivity, while the electric vehicle programme introduces a new dimension of sustainable transportation and technology-driven economic development.
Beyond transportation, the electric mobility programme could generate opportunities around charging stations, vehicle maintenance, spare parts, battery management, logistics, technical services and other related businesses.
Improved transportation connectivity could equally enhance access to markets, schools, healthcare facilities and other essential services, particularly for communities located outside major urban centres.
Building a Green and Productive North-East
The planned deployment of 10,000 electric vehicles is expected to contribute to the North-East’s transition towards cleaner transportation while opening new avenues for technological innovation and youth empowerment.
The programme also aligns with the broader objective of building a more connected, productive and resilient region through investments that combine infrastructure development with skills acquisition, enterprise development and environmental sustainability.
For the North-East, the development of an electric mobility ecosystem presents an opportunity to participate in an emerging technology-driven economy while addressing regional transportation and employment challenges.
Strengthening Accountability and Project Delivery
The Minister’s inspection also underscores the Federal Government’s emphasis on monitoring the implementation of development projects to ensure that investments translate into tangible and sustainable benefits for citizens.
The visit highlights the importance of collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Regional Development and NEDC in ensuring that projects are delivered according to required standards, completed within reasonable timelines and effectively deployed for the benefit of communities.
For NEDC, the inspection comes at an important stage in its development agenda as the Commission continues to implement interventions across infrastructure, transportation, energy, economic empowerment, human capital development and institutional capacity.
As preparations advance for the commissioning and inauguration of completed and ongoing projects, the visit reinforces the Federal Government’s determination to sustain development momentum in the North-East.
With strategic interventions such as the Jere Bowl Road Network, Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure initiative, EV assembly plants and the NEDC Head Office Complex, the Commission is positioning infrastructure development as a catalyst for improved connectivity, technological advancement, youth empowerment and sustainable economic growth.
The inspection therefore represents more than a routine assessment of construction sites. It signals a shared commitment to ensuring that investments in the North-East produce measurable outcomes and contribute to the region’s transition from recovery to sustainable prosperity.
