President Bola Tinubu has approved the constitution of the National Steering Committee for the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP), a flagship initiative aimed at accelerating economic activity, improving livelihoods, and deepening social protection across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards.
In a statement on Thursday, the President named the Governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as Chairman of the National Steering Committee, while Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, will serve as Vice Chairman.
The President also appointed six governors to represent the six geopolitical zones on the committee: Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe (North-East), Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa (South-South), Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun (South-West), Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu (South-East), Governor Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina (North-West), and Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue (North-Central).
According to the statement, the creation of the committee is part of the administration’s resolve to operationalize a ward-based development strategy that channels governance and development interventions directly to communities.
To immediately set the plan in motion, the inaugural meeting of the National Steering Committee was held on Wednesday, 29th October 2025, at the NGF Secretariat in Abuja.
The session, chaired by Governor AbdulRazaq, focused on rolling out the implementation framework, coordination structures, and resource-mobilization mechanisms required to drive the programme nationwide.
Governor AbdulRazaq, speaking after the meeting, reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to work in synergy with the Federal Government to ensure that the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme delivers tangible results at the grassroots.
“The Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme is a vital pillar of inclusive growth under President Tinubu’s administration,” AbdulRazaq said. “We are determined to see it implemented efficiently across all wards so that every community can feel the impact of government directly.”
The RHWDP, one of the major social investment and development platforms of the Tinubu administration, is designed to stimulate local economies, enhance job creation, and ensure that federal and state government interventions reach the most vulnerable citizens through a structured and coordinated ward-based approach.
