PAN-NIGER DELTA FORUM LAMENTATIONS-OVER-THE-INFRASTRUCTURE-EXCLUSION-OF-THE-RESOURCE-RICH-NIGER-DELTA-REGION-FROM-THE-FEDERAL-INFRASTRUCTURE-ALLOCATIONS

PAN-NIGER DELTA FORUM LAMENTATIONS OVER THE INFRASTRUCTURE EXCLUSION OF THE RESOURCE-RICH NIGER DELTA REGION FROM THE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE ALLOCATIONS

Dave Ikiedei Asei | Wisdom Tide News | July 6, 2026

ABUJA-​The Pan Niger Delta Forum, pan-def, has strongly voiced the collective frustration of the South-South geopolitical zone following its gross marginalization in the recent Federal Executive Council approval of three point nine trillion naira for major road infrastructure projects across Nigeria. Leading this crucial advocacy is the National Chairman of pan-def, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, oon, who addressed a press briefing in Abuja to call immediate national attention to this systemic neglect. Igali expressed deep disappointment that a region which serves as the economic bedrock of the nation through its oil and gas wealth could be so blatantly sidelined in national development planning.

​During his address, Ambassador Igali detailed the stark imbalance in the distribution of the infrastructure funds, noting that out of twenty-six major road projects approved across fifteen states, only a single project—the Benue-Cross River road—touches the fringes of the South-South. He emphasized that the total absence of internal arterial road projects traversing the core areas of the Niger Delta is a deeply troubling development for the people of the region. This severe underfunding directly worsens the existing infrastructure deficits, severely restricting local movement and crippling the everyday economic activities of a populace that contributes the highest share to the national treasury.

​Beyond the recently announced trillions, Ambassador Igali also used his platform to spotlight long-standing infrastructure failures in the region, most notably the sluggish pace of work on the vital East-West Road. He described the persistent delay on this critical corridor as a glaring symbol of unfulfilled promises, despite countless assurances from the Federal Ministry of Works regarding its speedy completion. Furthermore, the pan-def leader decried the continuous decay and abandonment of key maritime gateways in the region, including the ports in Calabar, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Warri, all of which remain devoid of any modernization or expansion plans.

​Concluding the forum's stance, Ambassador Igali described the federal government’s approach as a classic case of starving the goose that lays the golden egg. He warned that ignoring the region's infrastructure needs only breeds intense feelings of alienation and unfairness among Niger Deltans. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the National Executive Committee, Igali appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review and rectify these lopsided allocations to ensure equity and justice. Despite these grievances, Igali reaffirmed the Niger Delta’s willingness to support national growth, while demanding that the federal government reciprocate this patriotism with fairness in the distribution of national wealth.