The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), Rep. Chris Nkwonta, has described the Commission’s headquarters in Enugu State as a critical institution for accelerating development and addressing the region’s longstanding infrastructural challenges.
Nkwonta expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the facility during an oversight visit by members of his committee to inspect ongoing projects and assess the Commission’s infrastructure. 
He said the establishment of the headquarters will provide the institutional foundation for translating the historic philosophy of the Three Rs – Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation – formulated after the Nigerian Civil War, into tangible development programmes.
According to him, the mandate of the Commission presents an opportunity to address the devastating effects of the civil war, decades of neglect and infrastructural deficits across the five South-East states.
He explained that through inclusive economic programmes and strategic interventions, the SEDC will contribute to rebuilding damaged infrastructure, including federal roads, public buildings and urban centres, while promoting economic growth across the region.
Speaking with journalists during the visit, the Managing Director of the SEDC, Mark Okoye, said the headquarters, a four-storey building donated by the Enugu State Government, will strengthen the Commission’s operational capacity and institutional efficiency.
Okoye explained that bringing the Commission’s departments, executive management and staff under one roof would improve coordination, strategic planning and project implementation.
He said the arrangement would eliminate administrative fragmentation, encourage long-term planning and facilitate the speedy execution of the region’s development master plans.
The Managing Director also highlighted the financial benefits of operating from the facility, noting that a rent-free headquarters will reduce overhead and real estate costs, allowing more resources to be channelled into critical development projects.
These, he said, will include road construction and community-based interventions across the South-East.
On regional cooperation and innovation, Okoye said the headquarters will serve as a hub for strengthening collaboration among the five states and promoting initiatives to stimulate entrepreneurship and technological advancement.
He cited the South-East Venture Capital Programme, launched in May 2026, as one of the Commission’s initiatives to support young technology innovators through funding and the establishment of innovation hubs.
According to him, the programme is also designed to address youth migration from the region to major economic centres, particularly Lagos and Abuja, by creating opportunities for young people to build successful businesses at home.
Okoye further disclosed that the headquarters will strengthen the Commission’s capacity to attract investments through the proposed South-East Investment Company.
He explained that the initiative will provide an institutional platform for connecting private-sector investors, members of the diaspora and other funding sources with major development projects across the region.
The Managing Director expressed optimism that effective institutional coordination, strategic partnerships and sustained investments would accelerate development, create economic opportunities and reposition the South-East as a competitive investment destination.
The oversight visit was part of the National Assembly’s legislative responsibility to monitor the Commission’s activities, projects and performance in delivering on its mandate to promote the socio-economic development of the South-East.
