The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced a three-day strategic summit aimed at strengthening internal collaboration and enhancing service delivery across the six states of the North-East region.
Staff of the Commission from its headquarters and state offices in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba converged on Maiduguri, Borno State, for the 2026 Excellence Forum, which opened on Monday, September 14.
Mohammed Goni Alkali, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEDC, said the forum would examine how the principles of quality, accountability, integrity and improved service delivery could be better reflected in the day-to-day work of staff.
“This emphasis on moving from standards to practice is at the heart of the 2026 Excellence Forum. Rather than focusing only on presentations, participants will work through practical exercises, simulations and real workplace situations aimed at improving collaboration, problem-solving and service delivery,” Alkali stated.
He noted that the Commission had secured five International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certifications covering quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety, anti-bribery management and sustainable development in communities. Alkali stressed that the real value of these standards would be measured by their impact on actual service to the people of the North-East.
“For us, excellence must ultimately be measured by the quality of development we deliver to the people of the North-East. Our ISO certifications established important standards, but the real work is ensuring that those standards are reflected in how we work, how we serve and how we deliver,” he said.
Alkali further explained that the delivery of roads, schools, healthcare facilities, water, livelihoods and other interventions depended on the strength of the institution. Building capable people, improving internal systems and strengthening accountability therefore formed an essential part of the NEDC’s wider development mandate.