Governors of the five South‑East states have resolved to inject an additional ₦25 billion into the 2026 budget of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), the Senate Committee on SEDC said when presenting the commission’s budget report to the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday.
The South East Development Commission was established to coordinate infrastructure and socio‑economic development across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
For the 2026 fiscal year, SEDC proposed a budget allocation of ₦140 billion, which would support projects in key sectors such as health, education, roads and youth empowerment.
The commission’s proposed 2026 budget is under consideration by the National Assembly’s appropriation process, which includes review and endorsement by relevant committees.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on SEDC, disclosed the governors’ decision during the submission of the commission’s 2026 budget report.
He said each of the five state governors agreed to contribute ₦5 billion to augment the commission’s budget.
With the additional ₦25 billion, the SEDC’s total funding envelope for 2026 is expected to rise from ₦140 billion to ₦165 billion.
The committee said the supplementary funding is intended to help the commission accelerate development projects across the South‑East region.
Senator Kalu explained that the intervention followed consultations with the governors and stakeholders in the region. He said the commission received little funding in 2025, leading to stalled projects that the additional allocation aims to address.
Senator Kalu said, “In view of this, as chairman of the committee, and following deliberations with the governors and major stakeholders in the Southeast region, I respectfully request that the committee consider an additional ₦5 billion allocation to each of the states, amounting to ₦25 billion to augment the ₦140 billion already proposed.”
He added, “This additional provision will enable SEDC to accelerate the development of the region in health and educational sectors, in line with the Federal Government Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The governors’ pledge to supplement the SEDC’s budget highlights collaborative efforts between sub‑national and federal actors to address infrastructure deficits and developmental challenges in the South‑East.
The combined funding is expected to support initiatives aimed at improving living conditions and economic opportunities in the region.
The commission’s enhanced budget may also influence discussions in the National Assembly on resource allocation for regional development commissions amid wider legislative review of the 2026 federal budget.
