Has NDDC Achieved Its Target Goals at 25? – THISDAYLIVE

At 25, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is neither young enough to plead inexperience nor old enough to claim legacy. Yet here it stands: caught between unfinished bridges and newly commissioned hope.

Born in 2000 from the country’s uneasy pact with its oil heartland, the NDDC came with lofty mandates: build roads, deliver power, heal the land, and soothe the grievances of a region rich in oil but poor in trust. Twenty-five years later, that mission reads like both a prophecy and a post-mortem.

Critics count over 13,000 projects either uncompleted or abandoned. Billions spent, some say; little felt, many reply. From failed fibre optics training to cancelled waste truck schemes, there’s enough to fuel cynicism. But lately, something seems to have shifted to positive effects.

Instead of simply awarding contracts, the commission now speaks in the language of transformation. The new mantra is results, not receipts. Roads like the 27-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe stretch now connect once-isolated communities. Lights are back in places like Okitipupa after years of darkness. And in a surprising twist, oil majors like Shell and NLNG are now co-financing critical infrastructure.

What changed? Insiders point to a quiet administrative overhaul. Gone is the old model of patronage; in its place, a return to the 13 directorates outlined in the commission’s founding Act. There’s even talk of measurable KPIs, of KPMG audits, of reintroducing the public to the idea that governance can be predictable.

Still, transformation takes more than ceremonies. For every bridge completed, there’s a classroom missing. For every ribbon cut, there’s a road still washed away by neglect. And while governors toast the commission’s new partnerships, history warns that applause can be premature.

Has the NDDC fulfilled its mandate at 25? Perhaps not fully. But the better question might be: has it finally begun to? If the recent rhythm holds, this silver anniversary may mark not the peak, but the pivot.

In a region long familiar with broken promises, that, at least, feels new.