Eight Years After Devastation, Northeast Nigeria Rebuilds With Hope as NEDC Marks Major Transformation
Today, eight years after the creation of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) in 2017, that same region tells a different story—one of renewal, resilience, and an extraordinary comeback driven by strategic planning, bold leadership and sustained investment.
What began as an emergency response has evolved into a transformational development model under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, with Managing Director Mohammed Goni Alkali steering the NEDC with steady resolve.
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The Commission has anchored its mission on the North-East Stabilisation and Development Master Plan (NESDMP) 2020–2030, a ten-year roadmap featuring 529 programmes across 11 pillars. This blueprint integrates humanitarian relief, long-term development and peacebuilding—an approach that has reshaped the region in profound ways.
Under Alkali’s leadership, the Commission has completed more than 700 projects across the six states. Beyond statistics, these projects represent families returning home, children re-entering classrooms and communities reclaiming their dignity.
Eight years ago, a journey through Nigeria’s Northeast was a journey through heartbreak. In Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states, once-thriving communities stood abandoned—schools deserted, windows broken, hospitals silent, and markets emptied by fear. More than 1.5 million children roamed without classrooms, their futures hanging in uncertainty. A region famed for ancient empires and cultural greatness had become a symbol of loss, displacement, and despair.
But even in the darkest storms, the human spirit has a way of fighting for the light.
Education: From Empty Classrooms to Mega Schools
Confronting the staggering number of out-of-school children, the NEDC launched one of the most ambitious education turnarounds in recent Nigerian history. Eighteen mega schools—one in each senatorial district—now stand as symbols of hope across the Northeast.
Ari Kime Primary School in Potiskum, once dilapidated, today serves over 20,000 pupils, making it the largest primary school in Nigeria. The NEDC built 12 new classrooms, upgraded facilities, added staff quarters, toilets, a clinic and solar streetlights, transforming the school into a safe haven for learning.
In higher institutions, the Commission constructed a 250-seat lecture theatre and upgraded digital infrastructure at Yobe State University. It also established an entrepreneurship and digital skills institute at Taraba State University.
To sustain these gains, over 100,000 teachers have been trained across the region, including 600 Tsangaya and Islamiyya educators—ensuring quality teaching becomes the foundation of long-term recovery.
Health: From Crumbling Clinics to Modern Facilities
Healthcare systems shattered by conflict have been revived through strategic investments that now save lives daily.
The Commission rebuilt the Borno Central Medical Store, constructed new hospitals, and remodelled aging facilities. It established specialised centres such as an eye and dental hospital, a malnutrition treatment centre in Kushere, and an advanced ophthalmology institute at ATBU Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.
The Accident and Emergency Complex at Modibbo Adama Teaching Hospital in Yola and the 40-room labour ward at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital stand as testaments to a new era of healthcare in the Northeast.
Infrastructure: Roads, Housing, Water and Light Return
The NEDC’s infrastructure projects have restored economic life and reconnected communities long cut off by insecurity.
Key road projects include the 32km Dabna–Garkida road, the Alkaleri-Futuk and Kirfi-Gombe Abba roads, the Zabarmari-Ngowom and Jere Bowl networks, and the Mutai-Ngalda road linking remote Yobe communities.
More than 3,500 houses have been built for low-income earners and displaced families. These homes are not just shelters—they are the beginning of stability for thousands of households.
Water now flows again through 219 solar-powered boreholes, while 13,505 solar streetlights illuminate towns and villages, improving safety and nightlife activities.
Agriculture, Livelihoods and Economic Revival
Knowing that agriculture is the region’s backbone, the NEDC revitalised farmlands by providing pumps, herbicides, tools and clearing irrigation canals.
The Soro Cattle Market in Bauchi and the Kukareta Market in Damaturu have become regional hubs, signalling economic revival.
In Damaturu alone, 558 young people have been trained in renewable energy systems, waste recycling and other modern skills.
The introduction of electric vehicles and buses remains one of the Commission’s most forward-looking initiatives—signalling a future where the Northeast embraces green technology.
Security, Governance and International Collaboration
Security has improved with newly built police stations, barracks and accommodation for personnel in recovered areas. These investments encourage displaced families to return home with confidence.
Understanding that rebuilding requires collaboration, the NEDC has partnered with countries like Japan and Cambodia, learning from their post-conflict recovery models—especially in mine clearance and community reconciliation.
Humanitarian Support Continues
Even as large-scale development continues, the Commission remains committed to immediate needs: food distribution, clothing, mosquito nets and assistive devices for people with disabilities—ensuring no one is left behind.
The Journey Ahead
Though insecurity and logistical challenges persist in some areas, the NEDC has responded with innovation, teamwork and relentless determination.
As the Commission enters its second decade, it plans to deepen community-based project management, expand public-private partnerships and broaden the adoption of technology in education, energy and agriculture.
A Region Rising Again
Eight years after devastation threatened to erase decades of progress, the Northeast is rising with renewed strength and dignity. From classrooms filled with eager learners, to modern hospitals, to bustling markets and lit-up communities, the NEDC’s work stands as proof that transformation is possible when vision aligns with consistent action.
The story of the Northeast today is no longer a story of abandonment. It is a story of courage, rebuilding, and an unshakeable belief that tomorrow can be better than yesterday.
Eight Years After Devastation, Northeast Nigeria Rebuilds With Hope as NEDC Marks Major Transformation