By Mariam Alabi
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Oliver Alawuba, has urged leaders and key stakeholders in the South-East to place security and peace, infrastructure development and the delivery of bankable, investment-ready projects at the centre of the region’s development drive.
He said these priorities are critical to unlocking the South-East’s long-term development agenda under the South-East Vision 2050 (S8V2050), warning that vision statements alone will not attract the investment needed to transform the region.
Mr Alawuba made the call on Wednesday while delivering a goodwill remark at the South-East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholder Forum held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
Alawuba advocates security
Speaking in his capacity as UBA’s GMD/CEO, Chairman of the Body of Banks’ CEOs and on behalf of Corporate Nigeria, Mr Alawuba identified peace and security as the most urgent requirement for attracting investment into the region.
According to him, safety is the first signal investors assess before committing capital anywhere in the world.
“The first thing the South-East needs is peace. It is an established fact, world over, that investments flow in the direction of safety,” he said, urging state governments and regional leaders to sustain coordinated efforts to protect lives, assets and infrastructure.
The multi-day forum was convened by the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, the Ministry of Regional Development and the South-East State Governments, with the aim of building consensus around a shared development pathway for the region and advancing implementation-ready interventions aligned with national priorities.
Bankable projects, private sector partnership
Mr Alawuba also challenged stakeholders to adopt a results-driven partnership model between government and the private sector, stressing that the success of South-East Vision 2050 would depend largely on the region’s ability to articulate and package clear, measurable and value-adding projects.
“Vision alone is not enough. The South-East must present specific, bankable projects with defined impact, projects that can unlock investment, create jobs and deliver real improvements in the lives of our people,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of creating an investor-friendly business environment and unlocking diaspora capital to drive inclusive growth, noting that capital responds to predictability, ease of doing business and confidence.
“Capital will always respond to predictability, ease of doing business and confidence. If we get the fundamentals right, Corporate Nigeria and the banking industry will rally round to finance viable projects, support SMEs, create jobs for our youth and mobilise long-term capital to make South-East Vision 2050 a reality,” he stressed.
Infrastructure development
The UBA chief commended South-East governors for visible progress in road construction and other critical facilities across the region but called for accelerated delivery at scale.
He said, “Infrastructure is the bedrock of development. We have seen improvements, but a little bit more is required such as reliable power, motorable roads, rail, water and connectivity to remove the bottlenecks that limit productivity and competitiveness.”
The forum attracted prominent Nigerians from across government and the private sector, including Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima; governors of Imo, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states; senators and members of the House of Representatives; Minister of Regional Development; chairman, board members and management of the SEDC, traditional rulers, clergy, members of the diplomatic corps, captains of industry and development partners.
Mr Alawuba reaffirmed UBA’s readiness to partner with the SEDC and South-East state governments, noting that sustained private-sector participation and long-term capital mobilisation would strengthen the Vision 2050 framework and ensure it remains credible and investable.
