The Niger Delta must move beyond years of depending on crude oil extraction and should build an economy that relies on production, processing and trade, said former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission Ndutimi Alaibe.
Alaibe spoke recently as the speaker at the 2026 Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit organised by the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He said the Niger Delta’s poverty and lack of basic infrastructure, even though the region contributes greatly to Nigeria’s oil economy, show the need for a new development approach.
According to Alaibe, the key question should not be how much crude the Niger Delta can produce but how the Niger Delta’s natural and human resources can become sustainable economic opportunities.
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Alaibe noted that the Niger Delta had a trading history long before the discovery of oil, with communities such as Bonny, Opobo, Old Calabar and Warri linked to international markets through waterways.
“Petroleum did not create the Niger Delta’s connection to the economy. It changed the commodity,” said Alaibe.
He urged governments to build corridors that link farms, factories, ports, airports, warehouses and markets rather than treating each infrastructure project separately.
Alaibe also highlighted the Niger Delta’s waterways as an economic opportunity, calling for investment in jetties, cargo terminals, safer waterways, fisheries, aquaculture and marine industries.
He said security should be treated as infrastructure because insecurity raises business costs and discourages investment.
Alaibe urged governments to prioritise entrepreneurship, skills, healthcare and education, saying the Niger Delta’s next chapter should be defined by value addition and trade, rather than extraction.
