President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima and governors of North-Central states are expected to participate in a two-day summit aimed at developing a 20-year economic, infrastructural and social development plan for the region.

The summit, scheduled for September 14 and 15 in Abuja, will also be attended by former Heads of State, including Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The Head of Media and Corporate Communications of the North Central Development Commission, Dr Makut Macham, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Friday.

Macham said the event would be the maiden North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit and would be themed, ‘The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North-Central Region.’

He said the summit would bring together political leaders, government institutions, traditional rulers, technocrats, private sector players, youth and women groups, persons with disabilities, development partners and other stakeholders.

The Chairman of the NCDC, Dr Cosmas Akighir, said the summit would provide a platform to examine the development challenges and opportunities facing the region and establish a new direction for its transformation.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, Dr Cyril Tsenyil, said the summit would help align the region’s development priorities with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.

He added that it would create a framework for partnerships, investments and interventions aimed at accelerating economic growth and improving the quality of life across the North-Central region.

The Chairman of the Summit Steering Committee, Suleiman Ali, said the commission was working with its technical partner, Phillips Consulting, to ensure the summit produces meaningful outcomes for the region.