President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and governors of the North Central states are expected to converge in Abuja for a major development summit focused on shaping the region’s future over the next two decades.
The maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit, organised by the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), is scheduled to take place from September 14 to 15, 2026, at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
The summit is themed, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region.”
According to the NCDC, the meeting will bring together political leaders, government officials, traditional rulers, technocrats, private sector representatives, development partners, academics, civil society groups, youth and women organisations, persons with disabilities and other stakeholders.
President Tinubu is expected to attend as the Distinguished Guest of Honour, while Vice President Shettima will serve as the Special Guest.
Former Heads of State Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar are also expected to attend as Fathers of the Day.
Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru (retd.), a former military governor of Kano and Kwara states, is scheduled to chair the occasion.
Nasarawa State Governor and Chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum, Abdullahi Sule, will serve as Chief Host and is expected to lead the governors of the other North Central states and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to the summit.
Professor Iorwuese Hagher is billed to deliver the keynote address, focusing on the need for a coordinated and sustainable long-term development strategy for the region.
The NCDC Chairman, Cosmas Akighir, said the summit would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to examine the challenges and opportunities facing the region and develop a shared vision for its transformation.
The commission’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, said the proposed blueprint would also seek to align North Central’s development priorities with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He added that the plan is expected to create opportunities for partnerships, investments and interventions aimed at boosting economic growth and improving residents’ quality of life.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Monday, September 14, while the second day will feature panel discussions, technical sessions, breakout sessions, side meetings and other strategic engagements.
The summit is expected to produce recommendations and a broad stakeholder consensus that could guide the formulation and implementation of a 20-year development blueprint for the North Central region.
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