By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has commenced a review of the draft National Development Plan (NDP) 2026–2030, aimed at providing a roadmap for Nigeria’s economic and social transformation and achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
The Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, stated this during a stakeholders’ retreat convened to review and finalise the five-year development plan, which is aligned with Nigeria’s Agenda 2050.
Uzoka-Anite said the review was designed to produce a coherent, evidence-based, measurable and implementation-ready document to guide the country’s development priorities over the next five years.
She explained that the successor plan should improve on the NDP 2021–2025 by incorporating credible baseline data, realistic projections, clearly defined policies and interventions, adequate financing arrangements and measurable indicators of progress.
According to her, in a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Julie Osagie-Jacobs, although the review is taking place amid significant economic and social challenges, the plan must identify the major constraints to economic growth and development and provide practical measures to address them.
The minister identified seven strategic pillars of the NDP 2026–2030 as macroeconomic stability, resource mobilisation and sustainable financing; oil, gas and energy security; economic diversification, productivity and competitiveness; productive infrastructure and environmental resilience; effective governance, institutions and public-sector transformation; peace, security and national resilience; and human capital, social development and inclusive growth.
She urged stakeholders to incorporate findings from the Renewed Hope Ward-Based Development Framework Survey conducted by the ministry across 8,809 wards to address grassroots economic realities, infrastructure deficits and local development priorities.
As part of the exercise, Uzoka-Anite inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) to review the draft plan.
The group is co-chaired by Professors Olu Ajakaiye and Mike Obadan, with Professors Uche Uwaleke, Adeola Adenikinju, Jonathan Aremu, Emmanuel Oladipo, Sam Amadi, Usman Tar, Nguyan Shaku Feese and Bongo Adi as members.
The group is expected to assess the alignment of the plan’s vision, strategic objectives, sectoral policies and interventions with Nigeria’s Agenda 2050, the Renewed Hope agenda and the target of building a diversified, inclusive and resilient $1 trillion economy by 2030.
It will also review baseline data, indicators, assumptions and proposed targets, recommending realistic but ambitious milestones for 2030 and documenting the rationale for significant adjustments.
The technical team is further expected to submit a consolidated and implementation-ready plan, supported by policy and intervention matrices, an institutional responsibility framework and a record of key revisions and outstanding policy decisions.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Deborah Odoh, said participants were expected to produce a credible and coherent plan aligned with Nigeria’s long-term development vision and national priorities.
Odoh said the review would address gaps, duplication and inconsistencies across the document’s chapters while validating key data, macroeconomic assumptions, sectoral targets and performance indicators.
She added that the final document must strengthen the links between development priorities, interventions, financing, institutional responsibilities and monitoring arrangements.
According to her, the plan would also provide a practical foundation for the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, annual budgets and sectoral investment decisions.
Participants at the retreat were drawn from academia, development partners, the business community, civil society organisations and other sectors.