S’South govs seek stronger economic bloc, regional integration

South-South governors convened in Calabar, Cross River State, to forge a stronger regional economic bloc centered around infrastructure, investment, maritime development, industrialization and coordinated federal engagement. At the second meeting of the South-South Governors' Forum, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, the group identified key strategic priorities, including regional rail development, the rehabilitation and modernization of Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri seaports, and the economic potential of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

The governors also pledged to engage President Bola Tinubu on critical regional concerns, reaffirming their 100% support for his re-election in 2027.

The Forum resolved to institutionalize its activities through quarterly meetings, with the next gathering scheduled for November 6-8, 2026, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The communiqué encompassed a broader regional investment strategy, as outlined by the Director-General of the BRACED Commission, Ambassador Joe Keshi, and emphasized the need for a regional investment fund to mobilize capital for cross-state projects.

PANDEF National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, urged the governors to prioritize young people in the region's economic transformation.

Cross River State Governor and Forum Vice Chairman, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, highlighted the importance of collective action and cooperation, asserting that the region possesses the necessary resources to become a formidable economic bloc. Otu called for unified regional positions on fiscal equity, particularly Value Added Tax, oil and gas revenues, and the 13% derivation benchmark, while advocating for Cross River's restoration as an oil-producing state.

He emphasized transitioning from resource exploitation to value addition, industrial processing, and job creation, particularly through cassava production, processing, and ethanol development.

Diri stressed that the Forum must transition from meetings and communiqués to implementation, urging the South-South to move beyond fragmented approaches and tackle regional challenges collectively. He emphasized the region's potential as Nigeria's gas-industrial hub, West Africa's maritime gateway, and the country's leading blue-economy zone, while stressing the need to address environmental degradation and remediation across the Niger Delta.