S/South Govs Seek Stronger Regional Economic Integration
By Ekanem Asuquo
Governors of the South South states have begun moves to forge a more integrated regional economy through joint investment, improved infrastructure, maritime development, industrialisation and stronger engagement with the Federal Government.
The governors reached the position at their second meeting under the South South Governors’ Forum, held in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday.
The meeting, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, identified rail development, modernisation of major seaports and the Lagos Calabar Coastal Highway as critical to unlocking the region’s economic potential.
The governors specifically listed the Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri ports for rehabilitation and modernisation, while calling for accelerated development of regional rail infrastructure.
They also agreed to engage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on issues affecting the region, particularly infrastructure, environmental restoration and economic development. The governors reaffirmed their support for Tinubu’s re election bid in 2027.
To sustain the initiative, the Forum resolved to hold meetings quarterly. Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, will host the next session from November 6 to 8, 2026.
The meeting also featured a presentation by the Director General of the BRACED Commission, Ambassador Joe Keshi, on regional infrastructure development, with emphasis on rail transportation.
PANDEF National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, called for a regional investment fund to finance projects that cut across state boundaries.
Igali also urged the governors to make young people central to the region’s economic agenda, stressing the need for shared infrastructure, investment and interconnected value chains.
Cross River State Governor and Vice Chairman of the Forum, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, said the region must overcome fragmentation and work collectively to achieve sustainable development.
Otu advocated a common regional position on fiscal issues, including Value Added Tax, oil and gas revenues and the 13 per cent derivation principle. He also appealed for the Forum’s backing for Cross River’s efforts to regain its oil producing status.
He proposed a regional infrastructure corridor connecting the Bakassi Deep Seaport in Calabar with the East West Road and ports in Bayelsa and Delta.
Otu further called for closer integration of agricultural production across the region, particularly in cassava cultivation, processing and ethanol production, stressing the need to shift from raw resource exploitation to value addition and job creation.
Diri challenged the governors to ensure that the Forum produces concrete results rather than becoming a platform for meetings and communiqués.
He advocated faster development of road, rail, air and maritime infrastructure and urged the region to position itself as Nigeria’s gas industrial hub, West Africa’s maritime gateway and a leading blue economy zone.
The Forum also called for stronger security cooperation, intelligence sharing and environmental remediation to protect communities, economic corridors and critical assets across the South South.
