Enugu — Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has called for the South East to be reimagined as a single economic bloc, urging the region to move away from operating as separate, parallel entities.
Speaking at the South East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders’ Forum in Enugu, Governor Mbah proposed the creation of a South East Common Market, describing it as a bold, borderless integration of commerce, talent, infrastructure, and industrial capacity across the region. The forum was officially declared open by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
According to the governor, the global economy increasingly rewards regions that are organised, integrated, and able to operate at scale, making regional collaboration imperative for sustainable growth.
Mbah also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the South East Development Commission, noting that the commission provides the policy framework and institutional support needed for long-term planning, strategic investment, and enhanced regional competitiveness.
He stressed that the Vision 2050 agenda must go beyond rhetoric and translate into concrete action, beginning with bankable cross-state projects, integrated logistics corridors, coordinated regional security, and harmonised investment regulations.
“This is not about prestige or rivalry,” Mbah said, adding that the focus should be on building systems capable of creating jobs, driving ambition, and securing shared prosperity for the South East.
He concluded by urging stakeholders to prioritise implementation, noting that history would judge the region not by the discussions held, but by the actions taken in the period ahead.
