By Rasheeda Yahaya 

The Senate has raised serious concerns over a glaring funding shortfall that threatens to stall the take-off of the newly established North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Lawmakers declared that the Federal Government’s current monthly release of N2.9 billion is vastly inadequate to drive the commission’s ambitious N140 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year.

Speaking on Tuesday after an interactive session with the commission’s management, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the NCDC, Senator Titus Zam, warned that the current allocation pace would leave the agency with less than half of its approved funding by the end of the year.

A monthly disbursement of N2.9 billion translates to just N34.8 billion over a 12-month period—leaving a massive N105.2 billion deficit and raising serious questions about the agency’s ability to deliver on its development mandate across the region.

While Senator Zam expressed optimism that these initial releases are merely a temporary, interim arrangement pending the full operationalization of the commission, he pressed the executive branch for a swift and significant upward review.

He commended President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council for kickstarting the funding process but emphasized that sustained and enhanced financial support is the only way the intervention agency can achieve its founding objectives.

To ensure the prudent management of resources, Senator Zam assured that the Senate Committee will maintain strict legislative oversight, tracking every naira released to ensure it delivers measurable development outcomes on the ground.

He urged the commission's leadership to be highly strategic with their limited resources, pinpointing agriculture, security, and rural infrastructure as the three pillars that must dominate their immediate agenda.

Describing the North Central zone as Nigeria’s agricultural heartland, the lawmaker emphasized that the region’s vast fertile land and favorable climate make farming the fastest vehicle for economic growth, job creation, and national food security.

Alongside agricultural investment, the commission must actively collaborate with state governments and security agencies to provide complementary support aimed at restoring peace to communities ravaged by insecurity.

Finally, because the region remains predominantly rural, the Senate is demanding aggressive investment in rural roads, social amenities, and basic infrastructure to unlock isolated local economies.

This legislative intervention underscores a growing worry within the National Assembly that without an immediate boost to its treasury, the NCDC may struggle to deliver the infrastructure renewal, agricultural transformation, and security relief desperately expected by millions of residents across the North Central states.