2026: South East Governors Add N25 Billion to SEDC’s N140 Billion Budget — Senate

By Iyojo Ameh

The five governors of the South East states — Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo — have agreed to contribute N5 billion each to the N140 billion allocated to the South East Development Commission (SEDC) for the 2026 fiscal year.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), disclosed this on Wednesday during the presentation of the commission’s 2026 budget report to the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

According to Senator Kalu, the decision by the South East governors to augment the commission’s budget was reached to ensure the execution of impactful, development-driven projects across the five states in 2026.
“The Commission received hardly any funding in the 2025 fiscal year. Consequently, several projects and strategic initiatives were suspended and remain pending.
“The 2026 proposal is therefore for both fresh appropriation and necessary intervention to reactivate stalled projects and restore developmental momentum across the region.
“In view of this, as chairman of the committee, and having held consultations with the governors and major stakeholders in the South East region, I respectfully request that the committee consider an additional N5 billion allocation to each of the states, amounting to N25 billion to augment the N140 billion.
“This additional provision will enable the SEDC to accelerate development in the region, particularly in the health and education sectors, in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
In his remarks, Senator Tahir Monguno, who stood in for the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Solomon Adeola, while receiving the report, commended the initiative and expressed hope that governors in other geopolitical zones would emulate their South East counterparts.