SEDC to boost South-East economy through development of poultry industry

The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has announced ambitious plans to boost the economic growth of the South-East region of Nigeria by prioritising the development of the poultry industry. Dr. Cliff Ogbede, the SEDC Executive Director for Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Rural Development, unveiled the strategy at the Eastern International Poultry Summit 2026.

He drew inspiration from the successful economic policies of the late Dr. Michael Okpara, who led the Eastern Region (which included the South-East) in the 1950s and 60s, harnessing agricultural resources to propel the region to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world at the time.

Ogbede emphasized that the poultry industry's growth in the South-East would not only enhance nutrition and economic growth but also create thousands of jobs. Acknowledging the region's reliance on other areas for livestock and food, Ogbede lamented the underutilisation of the South-East's vast agricultural potential. He recounted how the Eastern Region's success under Okpara's leadership relied heavily on agriculture, which was the key to achieving economic growth.

When the war disrupted the progress, the lessons from Rwanda's post-genocide recovery should serve as an inspiration for the South-East to move forward and reclaim its status as a high producer of poultry products in the country.

The SEDC aims to replicate Okpara's achievements by building the capacity of the South-East region in agriculture and livestock production. They have engaged experts to modernise Okpara's agricultural programme and are investing significant resources and expertise into the poultry development sector. The region's poultry farmers currently face challenges such as adverse climate conditions and high feed costs, making them reliant on imports from other regions.

Ogbede stressed that the South-East consumes less than 15% of the recommended annual poultry intake per individual, leading to a nutrition deficit and dependence on imports for livestock and food.

To achieve these goals, the SEDC aims to encourage collaboration among development partners and the youth in the region, urging them to focus on the economic potential within their own region instead of migrating to larger cities like Lagos and Abuja in search of jobs.