South-South Governors have resolved to engage President Bola Tinubu on critical South-South concerns, particularly infrastructure and environmental development.
Key Highlights
- South-South Governors resolved to engage President Tinubu on infrastructure and environmental development concerns.
- The governors reaffirmed 100 percent regional support for Tinubuu2019s re-election in 2027.
- Regional rail development, seaport rehabilitation and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway were named strategic priorities.
- Cross River Governor Bassey Otu called for a unified regional position on VAT, oil and gas revenues and the derivation formula.
- The forum resolved to institutionalise quarterly meetings, with Uyo hosting the next session from November 6 to 8, 2026.
- Governor Douye Diri urged the forum to prioritise implementation over rhetoric.
They have also reaffirmed their commitment to his re-election in 2027 with a 100 percent support from the region.
The resolution formed the thrust of the communiqué issued at the end of the second meeting of the South-South Governorsu2019 Forum, held in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday under the chairmanship of Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.
Also, the governors resolved to engage the federal government in translating the regionu2019s enormous economic potential into tangible prosperity for its people, that will be anchored on infrastructure connectivity, investment mobilisation, maritime development and industrialisation.
Rail, Seaports And The Coastal Highway Named As Priorities
The governors identified regional rail development, the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri seaports, and the economic opportunities offered by the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as strategic priorities.
The forum further resolved to institutionalise its activities through quarterly meetings, with Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, scheduled to host the next meeting from November 6 to 8, 2026.
Cross River State Governor and Vice Chairman of the forum, Bassey Otu, said the regionu2019s ability to secure meaningful development depended on the extent to which its states could speak and act collectively.
“We must come together as a people; we must cooperate, and we must ensure that our voice is heard and respected. The South-South has everything it takes to become one of Nigeriau2019s most formidable economic blocs, provided the states could overcome fragmentation and harness their resources within a common regional framework,” he said.
Otu Calls For A Unified Regional Position
Otu called for a unified regional position on fiscal equity, particularly Value Added Tax (VAT), oil and gas revenues and the 13 per cent derivation benchmark.
He also sought the forumu2019s support for Cross River Stateu2019s campaign to regain its oil-producing status, describing the issue as part of the stateu2019s broader quest for greater economic opportunity.
On infrastructure, he proposed a regional corridor linking the Bakassi Deep Seaport in Calabar with the East-West Road and the ports of Bayelsa and Delta States, while advocating greater integration of the regionu2019s agricultural economies.
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Governor Diri, in his opening remarks, insisted that the forum must distinguish itself through implementation rather than rhetoric.
“We cannot afford to remain a region of meetings and communiqués,” he said, stressing that “the meeting must produce movement” and that the decisions reached must translate into “measurable progress.”
He argued that the South-South, despite its enormous contribution to Nigeriau2019s economy, could no longer afford fragmented approaches to challenges that were inherently regional.
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