How we spent N153 million on our Abuja office, SEDC

The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has revealed that its Abuja office, set up for N153 million, acts as a base for working with the National Assembly, federal ministries, agencies, development finance institutions, and other important partners.

The commission shared that this spending covers both the setup and running costs of the office since it opened in February 2025. It also includes other daily expenses needed for the office to function.

SEDC made this clarification in a statement released on Tuesday by its Managing Director, Mark Okoye. This came after the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission criticized him for not explaining over N4 billion spent from the commission’s 2025 budget.

During the committee meeting, Mr Okoye defended the commission's spending. The lawmakers, led by committee chairman Orji Kalu, questioned what the commission has done to develop the South-east. They also asked for details on how its budget was spent.

The commission was given N16.6 billion in the 2025 budget for operations. Mr Kalu, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, also confronted the managing director about documents available to the committee. He pointed out that the commission spends N153 million yearly on a small office in Abuja, despite having its main office in Enugu State.

Mr Okoye could not give a clear answer during the meeting. The committee then told him to come back next Tuesday with full documents showing how the funds were used.

Since this meeting, the commission has faced serious public criticism. Many have accused it of mismanaging funds and lacking transparency. While the commission did not specify how much it spent on the office in its statement, Mr Okoye did not deny the N153 million amount during the meeting.

SEDC mentioned that the Abuja office is a liaison office. They also said they plan to move fully to their main office in Enugu State. "The board and management have prioritized relocating to the Commission’s designated headquarters in Enugu at the earliest possible opportunity," they stated.

The commission also pointed out that it has not received any capital allocation from its budget. Still, it has continued to push forward on project development in the region. Their spending has focused on two main goals. These are building a strong foundation for their full program and moving forward with project development work that should usually be funded through the capital budget.

"The Commission has not received any funds from its capital budget. Despite this, we have used every available resource and goodwill to advance the development of important regional capital projects. This ensures that we are ready to execute quickly once capital releases happen," they explained.

SEDC further noted that it got its first disbursement more than ten months after it started. A large part of the funds has gone towards paying salaries and covering operational costs. "The Commission received its first funds after more than ten months of being in existence. On the institutional side, our spending has covered staff salaries and arrears for personnel who worked from February 2025 and continued to serve during the long wait for funds," the statement said.

Highlighting its activities, the commission talked about taking part in the Intra-African Trade Fair in Algeria. They are also in talks with Afreximbank about a Project Preparation Fund aimed at helping struggling industries in the South-east. They mentioned the South East Vision 2050 Stakeholder Forum and the launch of the South East Venture Capital Programme.

According to the commission, this venture capital initiative has already helped 25 startups in the region. The statement added that they have hired consultants to conduct feasibility studies and due diligence on important regional projects. This includes a planned gas infrastructure partnership that could offer major energy and industrial benefits for the South-east.