The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has earned widespread acclaim for its visionary ₦140 billion 2026 budget proposal, which promises to be the region’s real take-off year. Led by MD/CEO Mark Okoye, the commission presented a strategic blueprint to the Senate Committee on Tuesday, focusing 76% of the budget on capital projects to transform the South-East into a $200 billion economy within a decade.
Okoye captivated lawmakers with details of the Southeast Vision 2050 forum, where governors and stakeholders endorsed a unified approach to regional development. “At the heart of the long-term strategy is the projection to build a $200 billion regional economy,” he stated, revealing plans for a Southeast Investment Conference and presidential approval to raise capital for transformative infrastructure.
The MD assured that despite receiving only ₦5 billion in 2025, the team has worked without salaries, developing a 100-day action plan ready for activation. “The vision is set. The strategy is ready. Now, that strategy must be funded,” Okoye appealed, emphasizing that funds would catalyze innovation hubs, venture capital programmes, and regional security infrastructure, including a central command centre in Enugu.
Senator Patrick Ndubueze lauded the leadership, stating, “Mark Okoye and his Executive Management have done a commendable job in anchoring the SEDC on a very solid foundation. Rather than vilification, they deserve our support, encouragement and prayers.”
Committee Chairman Sen. Orji Kalu described the blueprint as “bankable,” while South-East governors have committed an additional ₦25 billion, demonstrating unprecedented regional cohesion.
Board member Chief Edward Onoja in a separate statement reacted to a post on X, highlighting the positive security trajectory, referencing ACLED data showing the South-East recorded the lowest fatalities (8) across all zones last month. “What I met was different from what many people imagine… There was calm. There was normal life,” he observed. “The South East shows that when people truly say enough is enough, and back it up with action, things can begin to change.”
