Governors of Nigeria’s six North-East states have agreed to pursue the establishment of a regional air shuttle while working with Green Ville Energy to expand Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas infrastructure across the region.

The decisions were contained in the communiqué issued after the 13th meeting of the North-East Governors’ Forum, held in Maiduguri, Borno State, on October 3, 2026.

The forum brings together the governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states, with Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum serving as chairman.

The proposed air shuttle is intended to make travel between states in the region easier and improve the movement of people and goods. The governors said better connectivity would also support commerce and other economic activities.

Premium Times reported that the governors had raised about ₦10.8 billion in counterpart contributions towards the proposed regional air shuttle, with additional contributions expected before the end of October. The funding is intended to support the eventual launch of the service.

The governors also agreed to partner with Green Ville Energy to develop additional CNG and LNG stations across the six states. The initiative is aimed at providing more energy options for transportation and logistics while helping to reduce the cost of moving people and goods.

The forum also welcomed plans by the North-East Development Commission to provide 10,000 electric tricycles, 10 electric buses and 300 electric taxis for the region, with the vehicles expected to be formally launched in October.

Beyond transportation, the governors used the meeting to review major infrastructure and development priorities affecting the subregion.

They commended the Federal Government for renewed attention to the Port Harcourt–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Maiduguri rail corridor and the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri highway.

The forum also welcomed renewed activity around frontier oil exploration at Kolmani but called for the Federal Government to revisit earlier exploration efforts that stalled in Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas of Borno State. Governor Zulum separately renewed the call for federal authorities to return to the affected areas.

The governors also renewed their appeal for the completion and eventual take-off of the Mambila Hydropower Project, pointing to the resolution of the legal issues surrounding the project.

On electricity, the forum noted that the Dadinkowa Hydropower Plant was supplying power to the national grid. The governors encouraged member states to take advantage of Nigeria’s electricity reforms and the region’s solar potential to expand renewable energy projects, including solar plants and mini-grids.

Education and youth development also featured prominently in the discussions.

The forum called for increased investment by the North-East Development Commission in education and urged the release of outstanding scholarship awards for students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

The governors also called for stronger measures to reduce the number of children who are out of school and greater support for Tsangaya education.

On youth development, the forum described the region’s large young population as both an opportunity and a responsibility. It said greater attention should be given to quality education, vocational training, entrepreneurship, technology and employment opportunities.

The governors linked these measures to the wider security situation, arguing that improving economic and social opportunities for young people could reduce their vulnerability to exploitation by criminal and extremist groups.

On security, the forum acknowledged improvements in the fight against insurgency and commended the Armed Forces, other security agencies and residents for their efforts. However, the governors said significant humanitarian and infrastructure challenges remained.

They pledged to continue supporting security agencies while strengthening cooperation among the six states, intelligence sharing, community engagement and coordinated responses to emerging threats.

The forum also raised concerns about environmental degradation caused by deforestation. It resolved to work with the Institute of Forest Research to strengthen forestry expertise and training across the region.

Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya said the forum had recorded progress since its establishment in 2020, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, energy and connectivity. He nevertheless urged the governors to strengthen mechanisms for turning regional resolutions into measurable results.

The latest meeting therefore placed transportation, energy, infrastructure, education, security and youth development at the centre of the North-East’s regional cooperation agenda.

The forum’s next meeting is scheduled to take place in Gombe State on December 18–19, 2026.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia