SSDC Presents 2026 Budget to National Assembly, Targets Measurable Development in South-South

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South South Development Commission (SSDC), Usoro Akpabio, on Tuesday presented the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal to the National Assembly of Nigeria, outlining a renewed focus on measurable and transparent regional development.

Akpabio told lawmakers that the proposed budget signals a transition from the Commission’s foundational institutional planning phase to the implementation of structured, results-driven programmes aimed at delivering tangible impact across the South-South region.

Speaking during separate sessions with the Senate and the House of Representatives Committees on SSDC, she stressed that the region must experience development that reflects its significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

“The South-South must not only generate national revenue; it must experience development proportional to its contribution, because when the region develops structurally, Nigeria advances sustainably,” she said.

The Senate session was presided over by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on SSDC, Benson Konbowei, while the presentation at the House of Representatives was received by the Chairman of the House Committee on SSDC, Julius Pondi.

The presentation forms part of the Commission’s statutory engagement with the legislature, as it seeks approval and oversight for programmes designed to accelerate infrastructure development, economic diversification and social investment in the oil-producing region.

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