Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC), has clarified that the proposed N25 billion increase to the commission’s N140 billion 2026 budget was initiated by the Senate committee, not the South East governors.
Presenting the committee’s report to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Kalu explained that the additional N25 billion is intended to support high-impact development projects across the region, with N5 billion earmarked for each state—Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
“The commission received minimal funding in 2025, which led to the suspension of key projects. The 2026 proposal covers fresh appropriations and interventions to revive stalled projects and restore development momentum,” Kalu said.
He emphasized that the budget augmentation would allow SEDC to accelerate development initiatives in the health and education sectors, aligning with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.