The Southwest Development Commission (SWDC) has officially held its first-ever Board meeting, unveiling an ambitious development blueprint aimed at transforming the region into a leading economic powerhouse.
The two-day meeting, which took place on Monday and Tuesday, September 1 and 2, 2025, at the commission’s headquarters in Ibadan, brought together all newly inaugurated board members. In attendance were Chairman, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO), Dr. Charles Akinola; executive directors; and other members of the board.
Speaking to journalists after the session, Dr. Akinola declared that the commission was “set for full take-off” and committed to delivering on its statutory mandate in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The establishment of the Southwest Development Commission is a landmark intervention by President Tinubu to address the developmental challenges of our region in a coordinated, strategic and sustainable manner,” he said. “We assure the people of the Southwest that this commission will deliver fully on its mandate.”
According to him, the SWDC’s mandate includes driving infrastructure development, fostering industrialisation, strengthening regional integration, generating employment, and promoting human capital growth across the six states of the Southwest. These objectives, he stressed, align directly with the federal government’s emphasis on economic diversification, poverty reduction, and inclusive growth.
Akinola also unveiled the commission’s central framework, tagged the “One Bloc Development Agenda.” The strategy, he explained, is designed to harmonise projects across states into a unified plan for regional growth.
“Rather than pursuing fragmented projects in isolation, the One Bloc Development Agenda will allow us to pool resources, coordinate efforts, and ensure that the Southwest speaks with one voice in terms of development priorities,” he noted. “This means that whether in agriculture, technology, or transport, we will pursue regional solutions that cut across state boundaries and deliver shared prosperity.”
He expressed confidence that the approach would attract large-scale investments and foster collaboration among the Southwest states, while calling on stakeholders—including state governments, private sector leaders, traditional rulers, and civil society organisations—to support the commission’s vision.
“The success of the SWDC cannot rest on the Board alone,” Akinola said. “We need the full cooperation of our governors, legislators, business leaders, community stakeholders, and indeed every citizen of the Southwest to bring this vision to life. With unity of purpose, we can make the Southwest not only the economic powerhouse of Nigeria but also a globally competitive region.”
The SWDC Board is chaired by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, with Dr. Charles Akinola as MD/CEO. Other key executives include Olusegun Olufehinti (Projects), Tele Ogunjobi (Finance), Rt. Hon. Funmilayo Tejuosho (Corporate Services), Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle (Commercial and Environmental Development), and Alhaji Lateef Ajijola (Social and Human Capital Development).
Additional board members are Hon. Bolaji Ariyo, Hon. Joseph Olorunshola, Rt. Hon. Olanike Omoworare, Hon. Olamuyiwa Olabintan, Dr. Adewinle Martins, Hon. Ibrahim Olaifa, Hon. Kabiru Lakwaya, Rear Admiral Abdul Biu Adamu (rtd), Fagbemi Benjamin, Dr. Ukoha Onyekwere Michael, and Eng. Alwell Ihenacho.
Headquartered in Ibadan, the SWDC is expected to serve as the focal point for developmental initiatives across the Southwest, ushering in a new era of regional integration and prosperity.
