SEBIS Calls for Reopening of Ikom-Cameroon Border to Boost Development

The South-East Business and Investment Summit (SEBIS) has urged collaboration among key stakeholders and investors to address the socio-economic challenges facing the South-East and restore the region to its former economic strength.

Speaking at a road show and town hall meeting held at the All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha, on Monday, the Executive Secretary and CEO of SEBIS, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, noted that the South-East, once a thriving economic force, lost its momentum due to the absence of structured and coordinated leadership.

Okwenna recalled that before 1978, the South-East recorded a 9.2 percent annual development growth rate and could have become an economic powerhouse if effective leadership had sustained the progress.

Speaking on the event’s theme, “Remaking South-East as an Economic Powerhouse,” he stressed the need for stakeholders in the region to take decisive action to rebuild, re-energize, and reposition the South-East for sustainable growth. He explained that the summit aims to tackle the region’s pressing socio-economic and infrastructural issues through a collaborative dialogue between the public and private sectors.

According to him, similar engagements will take place across the five states in the region, serving as a platform for knowledge sharing, strategic partnerships, and agenda-setting to redefine the South-East business and investment landscape.

Okwenna also called for stronger collaboration between the region and the Federal Government, while advocating for the reopening of the Ikom-Cameroon border to boost cross-border trade. He emphasized the importance of partnerships between businesses, the middle class, and investors to drive regional development, noting that the focus is no longer solely on government intervention but on joint efforts for progress.

He highlighted agriculture, information technology, energy, the creative industry, MSMEs, and sports as key sectors through which the South-East can rebuild its economy.

In his keynote address titled “Unlocking South-East Potential: The Critical Role of Infrastructure in Rebuilding the Economy,” former Minister of Power and current Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Niger, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, underscored the vital role of the private sector in driving regional growth.

Nebo emphasized that energy remains central to sustainable development and must be effectively harnessed for the South-East to realize its economic goals. He added that the summit would focus on practical strategies to promote stability, economic growth, and inclusivity across the region.