The Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), Ms Usoro Akpabio, has described the interactive engagement with Ambassadors-Designate from the South-South region as a strategic initiative aimed at accelerating economic growth and sustainable development.
The interactive session, hosted by Ambassadors-Designate from the South-South region, brought together diplomats both physically and virtually, alongside members of the SSDC Board and Executive Directors, underscoring a shared commitment to strengthening partnerships and fostering development across the region.
Speaking during the engagement, Ms Akpabio emphasized the importance of strong collaboration between the Commission and Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, particularly in promoting investment, trade, technology transfer, and environmental sustainability. She noted that such synergy is essential to unlocking the vast economic potential of the South-South region.
She highlighted that the South-South remains a critical economic hub for Nigeria, endowed with natural resources, maritime potential, energy assets, agricultural opportunities, and a vibrant youth population.
According to her, the Commission’s mandate focuses on infrastructure development, economic diversification, environmental sustainability, youth empowerment, and industrial growth.
Ms Akpabio further identified key priority areas for collaboration, including oil and gas value chain development, gas commercialization, agriculture and agro-processing, maritime and blue economy, renewable energy, industrial parks, and infrastructure development.
She also proposed a coordination framework between the SSDC and Nigerian Missions abroad to strengthen investment promotion and development partnerships.
In his remarks, Ambassador-Designate Senator Ita Enang commended the SSDC for initiating the engagement, describing it as timely and commendable, while assuring of continued collaboration to attract investments and development opportunities to the South-South region.
Ambassador-Designates Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and Reno Omokri, who joined the session virtually, also pledged their support and commitment to partnering with the Commission to drive sustainable development and attract investments to the region.
Also speaking at the interactive session, Ambassadors-Designate including Abass Braimoh, Efe Clark-Omeru, and Philip Ikufusi noted that Nigeria is on a path to economic recovery and pledged to work collaboratively with the SSDC to advance development across the South-South region.
The engagement underscores a growing commitment to strengthening partnerships between the South-South Development Commission and Nigeria’s diplomatic corps in advancing regional and national development objectives.
