The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South-West Development Commission (SWDC), Dr Charles Akinola, has reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to delivering its statutory mandate in alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking to journalists after the commission’s inaugural board meeting held on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State, Akinola described the establishment of the SWDC as a “landmark intervention” by President Tinubu aimed at tackling the region’s long-standing developmental challenges through a strategic, coordinated, and sustainable framework.
He outlined the commission’s broad mandate, which includes infrastructure development, industrialisation, regional integration, job creation, and the promotion of human capital across the six states of the South-West: Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti.
“Our duty is to catalyse investments that will make the region a competitive economic bloc within a prosperous Nigeria,” Akinola said. “By focusing on infrastructure, innovation, education, and enterprise, we shall not only unlock new opportunities for our people but also strengthen Nigeria’s overall economic resilience.”
Dr Akinola emphasised the need for synergy and regional unity under what he termed the “One Bloc Development Agenda.” This approach, he explained, aims to avoid fragmented projects by pooling resources and ensuring the South-West states align on key development priorities.
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“Rather than pursuing fragmented projects in isolation, the One Bloc Development Agenda will allow us to pool resources, coordinate efforts, and ensure that the South-West speaks with one voice in terms of development priorities,” he added.
The commission, he noted, will prioritise regional solutions in critical sectors such as agriculture, technology, transport, and education—pursuing projects that transcend state boundaries and deliver shared prosperity.
Akinola also called on stakeholders, including state governments, private sector leaders, traditional institutions, and civil society organisations, to support the commission’s vision and collaborate in achieving meaningful impact.
“The SWDC cannot succeed in isolation. We need the full backing of all actors within the region to drive sustainable growth and transform the South-West into a model of prosperity,” he stated.
The South-West Development Commission is one of several regional commissions established to foster equitable development across Nigeria’s geo-political zones, in line with the federal government’s renewed emphasis on regional integration and inclusive growth.
