President Bola Tinubu has officially signed the South-West and South-South Development Commission bills into law, completing the establishment of regional development commissions across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, during plenary. Kalu emphasized the importance of the commissions in driving grassroots development, stating that no mechanism should be spared in ensuring that democracy delivers tangible benefits to the people.
Similarly, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, during Tuesday’s plenary, confirmed that Tinubu had assented to both bills, noting that all regional development commissions now have full legal backing. He commended the president for his cooperation with the National Assembly, adding that the newly established commissions would create jobs and accelerate development at the grassroots level.
The South-West Development Commission (SWDC) Bill was initially passed by the Senate in September 2024 before being transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence. It was sponsored by Senator Gbenga Daniel of Ogun East. The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) Bill followed in October 2024 and was sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong of Cross River South.
With the signing of these bills, the South-West and South-South regions now join the North-West and South-East, whose development commissions were signed into law by Tinubu in July 2024. The respective boards of the existing commissions have already been constituted and confirmed by the Senate.
These commissions are expected to drive infrastructure development, economic growth, and social welfare in their respective regions, furthering the administration’s efforts to ensure even development across the country.
