President Bola Tinubu has approved the creation of the South-East Investment Company (SEIC), a new development-focused enterprise, designed to accelerate industrialization and become the driver behind private sector growth in the South-East region.
The company, which will operate under the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), has been established with an initial capital base of over ₦150 billion, to ensure the firm hit the ground running immediately in the region.
Through the firm, the Tinubu-led Federal Government is pushing the SEIC to become the vehicle for regional development through public-private partnerships and strategic investments in critical sectors.
According to the presidency, the SEIC will be wholly owned by the SEDC at inception, with plans to gradually open up ownership to state governments, private investors, development finance institutions, and the South-East diaspora community. Funding will be sourced through hybrid instruments such as bonds, equity, and callable capital commitments.
The primary goal of the SEIC is to channel investments into industries, infrastructure, education, entrepreneurship, and other strategic sectors to stimulate long-term economic growth across the South-East.
Speaking at the formal presentation of the company’s Certificate of Incorporation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Managing Director of the SEDC, Mark Okoye, described the move as a “bold, strategic step” toward unlocking private capital and reducing the risks of doing business in the region.
“The South-East Investment Company is a long-term strategy to attract investment, de-risk business operations, and promote inclusive growth. It builds on the vision of the old Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation,” Okoye added.
Also present at the ceremony were the Minister for Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, and other senior government officials. The SEIC is expected to begin pilot operations and fundraising activities in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fostering regional economic development and assured that the SEIC would be guided by transparency, regulatory compliance, and international best practices.
The establishment of SEIC marks a significant shift toward regionally driven economic planning and is seen as a major step toward revitalizing the South-East’s industrial base and reducing economic disparities.
