The House of Representatives on Wednesday began consideration of a bill seeking to establish the National Commission for Rural Infrastructure and Development.
The sponsor of the bill argued that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable economic growth while millions of rural residents lack access to basic infrastructure and economic opportunities.
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill during plenary, the sponsor, Saidu Abdullahi (APC, Niger), described rural development as “a strategic economic priority” rather than a social intervention.
Abdullahi said that despite decades of public investment and development planning, Nigeria’s largest infrastructure deficit remains in rural communities, where most of the population lives and where much of the country’s agricultural production and natural resources are located.
According to Abdullahi, the proposed commission would provide a national framework for financing, coordinating, monitoring and supporting rural infrastructure and development programmes across the federation.
“No nation can attain sustainable economic growth while neglecting the communities that produce its food, supply its raw materials and sustain its local economy. Rural development must therefore be regarded not merely as a social obligation but as a strategic economic priority,” he said.
The bill (HB 2795), first read on July 9, 2026, also proposes the establishment of a National Rural Development Fund to provide sustainable financing for infrastructure projects in rural communities.
Abdullahi explained that while existing Ministries, Departments and Agencies oversee sectors such as roads, agriculture, water resources, power, education and health, no single institution currently coordinates rural infrastructure development nationwide.
“The proposed commission is therefore not intended to replace or duplicate the statutory functions of existing Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Rather, it is designed to complement and strengthen their efforts by providing a unified institutional framework for financing, coordination, policy guidance, monitoring, technical assistance and performance evaluation,” he said.
Drawing comparisons with intervention agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the Universal Basic Education Commission, the lawmaker said NACRID would focus on financing, coordination and oversight rather than direct project implementation.
He said projects would be executed mainly through State Rural Infrastructure and Development Boards or designated state agencies under a counterpart funding model similar to that of UBEC.
Under the proposal, state governments would prepare Rural Development Action Plans, provide counterpart funding, implement approved projects and account for the utilisation of intervention funds.
According to Abdullahi, the arrangement would strengthen accountability, promote state ownership and encourage collaboration across the three tiers of government.
The proposed Rural Development Fund would be financed through federal appropriations, grants, support from development partners, private sector contributions, counterpart funding by states, investment income and other lawful sources approved by the National Assembly.
The bill also provides for funding from appropriated portions of the Value Added Tax pool, Federal Government returns from the Sovereign Wealth Fund and other sovereign investment vehicles, as well as proceeds from assets finally forfeited in corruption-related cases, subject to legislative approval.
Abdullahi stressed that parliamentary oversight would remain intact since all funding sources would require appropriation by the National Assembly.
He anchored the proposal on Sections 14(2)(b) and 16(2)(d) of the 1999 Constitution, which place responsibility on government to ensure the welfare of citizens and provide infrastructure to improve living standards.
The lawmaker also referenced the defunct Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure, saying that although it faced institutional and funding challenges, it demonstrated the impact targeted investments could have on rural livelihoods.
Unlike DFRRI, he said the proposed commission would operate on “modern principles of transparency, accountability, intergovernmental collaboration, sustainable financing, digital monitoring and legislative oversight.”
Abdullahi further cited South Korea’s Saemaul Undong rural transformation programme as evidence that coordinated government support, community participation and sustained investment can significantly reduce rural poverty and narrow the urban-rural development gap.
He added that countries such as India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and the United States have adopted similar institutional frameworks to drive rural development.
If passed into law, NACRID would support investments in rural roads, bridges, potable water, sanitation, renewable energy, irrigation, healthcare facilities, schools, digital connectivity, markets, storage facilities and agro-processing centres.
According to the sponsor, the intervention would boost agricultural production, strengthen food security, create jobs, attract private investment and reduce rural-to-urban migration.
“This bill is not merely about creating another commission. It is about creating a national institution dedicated to ensuring that rural communities receive the infrastructure, investments and opportunities necessary for sustainable development,” Abdullahi said.
He urged lawmakers to support the bill by allowing it to pass second reading and proceed to the committee stage for further legislative scrutiny and stakeholder consultations.
The proposed legislation comes decades after the establishment of the Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure in 1986, which was created to improve rural roads, water supply and electrification but was later phased out due to funding and institutional challenges.
If enacted, NACRID is expected to adopt a financing and oversight model similar to TETFund and UBEC, while relying on state governments to implement projects through counterpart funding arrangements.
