Niger Delta Stakeholders Demand Peace, Regional Stability, and Completion of East-West Road, Coastal Highway
April 28, (THEWILL) — Over 230 delegates from across the nine Niger Delta states have issued a resounding call for accelerated peace-building, enhanced regional stability, and the urgent completion of critical infrastructure, including the long-delayed East-West Road and the ongoing Coastal Highway. The demands were formalized in the “Edo 2026 Declaration,” adopted at the conclusion of the 16th Niger Delta National Youth and Development Stakeholders Forum (NDNYDSF) and 11th Annual Regional Retreat, Training and Dialogue, held in Benin City, Edo State, from April 23 to 25, 2026.
The three-day gathering brought together representatives from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers states, alongside diaspora participants, youth and women groups, civil society organisations, traditional and religious institutions, government officials, and private sector stakeholders. The forum’s theme, “Enhancing Peace, Security and Unity for the Wellbeing of Citizens in the Niger Delta Region and Development of Nigeria at Large,” framed extensive deliberations on education, unemployment, food security, agriculture, healthcare, environmental sustainability, infrastructure deficits, and youth restiveness.
Infrastructure as a Cornerstone of Regional Integration
A major flashpoint of the discussions was the delayed completion of the East-West Road, which participants described as a strategic economic corridor linking several oil-producing states. Delegates noted that the prolonged delay in completing sections of the highway has continued to affect transportation, commercial activities, and regional economic integration. They called on the Federal Government to expedite work on the project, stressing that improved infrastructure remains essential for sustainable economic growth, investment, and regional development.
Participants also backed the ongoing Coastal Highway project, describing it as a transformative infrastructure initiative capable of boosting trade, improving connectivity, and opening up new economic opportunities across coastal communities in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country. 
Accountability and Community Engagement
Stakeholders assessed the activities and impact of key intervention agencies and programmes operating in the Niger Delta, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), international oil companies, and development partners. Participants called for greater accountability, improved project implementation, stronger community engagement, and expanded empowerment programmes aimed at reducing unemployment, poverty, and social tension in host communities.
On security, the forum advocated community-based peace-building initiatives, pipeline protection, and anti-vandalism campaigns, while condemning kidnapping, cultism, terrorism, destruction of public assets, and other forms of violence affecting the region. Delegates further emphasised the need for increased investment in education, entrepreneurship, agriculture, tourism, the creative economy, and skills acquisition programmes as part of efforts to create opportunities for youths and women across the Niger Delta. 
Historical Context and Political Alignment
Organisers disclosed that the annual forum was established in 2009 with the support of the Presidency during the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to promote peace, security, and development in the Niger Delta. According to the planning committee, the initiative was facilitated by the late Chief Ufot Ekaette and Elder Godsday Orubebe under the former Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, now renamed the Federal Ministry of Regional Development. The forum currently comprises about 60 member organisations implementing projects and programmes across the nine Niger Delta states and has continued to serve as a platform for dialogue, stakeholder engagement, and regional development advocacy.
Stakeholders aligned the objectives of the retreat with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and welcomed the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Regional Development as part of efforts to strengthen intervention and development in the region. As part of activities linked to the Edo 2026 gathering, President Tinubu was invited as Father of the Day to address delegates and flag off the proposed “Niger Delta Rise for Peace, Security and Development” initiative across the 27 senatorial districts in the region, while First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu was invited as Mother of the Day.
The organisers expressed appreciation to partners, including the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Radio Nigeria, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), and the Nigeria Police Force, for supporting the successful hosting of the retreat. They also called on state governments, lawmakers, development agencies, private sector organisations, civil society groups, and media institutions to deepen collaboration to sustain peace, security, and inclusive development across the Niger Delta region. 
Source Content: THEWILL