Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has pledged the commitment of the Northern Governors’ Forum to reposition the New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC) into a viable platform for regional economic growth.
Governor Zulum chairs the newly inaugurated Implementation Committee on the revitalisation of the company, with the governors of Kwara, Zamfara, and Plateau as members.
Speaking at the committee’s inaugural meeting on Monday at the office of the Kaduna State Secretary to the Government, Zulum noted that the NNDC, once a flagship investment vehicle for the 19 Northern states, had become moribund. He said the restructuring effort would transform it into a leading development finance institution with a diversified portfolio driving commercial and industrial growth.
“Let me first and foremost commend the Northern Governors’ Forum for appointing this very important committee to see that NNDC is back on stream,” Zulum stated. “This committee, under my leadership, was set up based on the report of the 2018 Technical Committee to ensure smooth execution in line with global best practices.”
The governor assured management and staff that the committee would work tirelessly to restore the company’s full potential. He described the NNDC as “the strongest economic legacy uniting the 19 Northern states, symbolised by its iconic 10-storey headquarters building in Kaduna, which must be preserved.”
Zulum further promised that staff welfare would be prioritised, with a feedback mechanism to incorporate employee input into the restructuring process.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governors of Zamfara, Kwara, and Plateau, as well as senior government officials and the NNDC management team led by Group Managing Director/CEO, Shehu Usman Mai-Bornu.
