The South South Development Commission, SSDC, has begun its maiden regional engagement tour with a strategic visit to Bayelsa State, signalling a new phase of consultation, partnership, and development coordination across the South South region.
The visit, which took place on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, featured a courtesy call on the Bayelsa State Government, stakeholder engagement, and inspection of selected projects in the state.
The SSDC delegation was led by the Chairman of the Board and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Usoro O. Akpabio, FRSA, FCE. Other members of the delegation included Board Members and Executive Directors of the Commission.
They were received by the Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, alongside members of the State Executive Council.
The Bayelsa visit formally opened the Commission’s regional consultation with the six South South states. The tour is designed to build stronger working relationships with state governments and ensure that SSDC programmes respond directly to the development needs of each state.
Speaking during the engagement, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer said the Commission was committed to working with state governments to deliver sustainable, inclusive, and people focused development across the region.
She explained that the SSDC was not created to duplicate the work of state governments, but to support and strengthen existing development efforts through properly aligned Federal Government interventions.
According to her, the Commission will focus on projects and programmes that reflect the real priorities of the states and communities in the South South.
As part of the visit, the SSDC team inspected key projects in Bayelsa State. The exercise gave the Commission direct insight into the state’s development direction and helped identify areas where SSDC interventions can add value to ongoing efforts.
The discussions covered critical areas such as infrastructure, human capital development, youth and women empowerment, environmental sustainability, renewable energy, blue economy opportunities, gas based industrialisation, ICT and digital innovation, investment promotion, and community development.
Governor Douye Diri welcomed the decision of the Commission to begin its regional tour in Bayelsa State. He said the SSDC has an important role to play in driving coordinated development across the South South.
The Governor urged the Commission to maintain close collaboration with the Governors of the region in selecting and implementing projects that will address the needs of the people and strengthen regional growth.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of the SSDC Board appreciated Governor Diri and the Government of Bayelsa State for the warm reception and fruitful discussions.
He assured the Governor that the Board would work closely with Bayelsa State and other South South states to advance the mandate of the Commission and deliver meaningful impact.
The Bayelsa engagement is the first in a planned series of visits to Governors across the South South region. Through the tour, the Commission seeks to deepen consultations, strengthen partnerships, and design interventions that reflect the priorities of each state.
The maiden regional tour reinforces the SSDC’s commitment to collaborative governance, strategic partnership, and inclusive regional development. It also sets the tone for a more coordinated, prosperous, and economically integrated South South region.
