President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a N75 billion special intervention fund for the six core Niger Delta states, to be distributed through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and targeted specifically at infrastructure projects in communities identified as hotspots for youth restiveness and oil theft.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Abubakar Momoh, at a stakeholders forum in Abuja attended by governors and traditional rulers from Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Edo, Ondo, and Cross River states.
President Tinubu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the intervention was a recognition that sustainable peace in the Niger Delta requires economic investment alongside security operations. We cannot arrest our way to development, the President was quoted as saying. We must invest our way to stability.
Niger Delta governors welcomed the announcement but noted that similar funds have been approved in the past without adequate disbursement. Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara called for the creation of an independent disbursement committee with civil society representation to ensure the funds actually reach intended communities.
Environmental and development organisations cautiously welcomed the intervention but emphasised that funds must prioritise clean water, healthcare, and education in addition to road infrastructure, which has historically absorbed the lion share of NDDC spending.
The NDDC has been asked to present a disbursement plan to the Presidency within 60 days of the announcement.
