Benue’s Potential Must Become Jobs, Wealth, Alia Tells 2035 Summit

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has charged participants at the Benue 2035 Economic Transformation, Capital Formation and Prosperity Summit to develop an actionable roadmap capable of attracting investment, creating jobs and improving the standard of living across the state.

Alia gave the charge on Monday, September 7, 2026, while declaring open the summit at the Fr. Alia Conference Hall, SEMA, Makurdi.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, on Monday, September 7.

The governor said the summit must produce clear decisions, measurable outcomes and practical guidelines, warning against producing another report that would be abandoned without implementation.

According to him, Benue possesses the human and natural resources required to build a prosperous society, but these potentials must be deliberately converted into economic opportunities.

“Potential, by itself, does not transform a society. It must be converted into opportunity, opportunity into investment, investment into productive activity, and productive activity into jobs, incomes and improved quality of life,” Alia said.

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He said the summit was designed to move the state from “potential to prosperity” by identifying investment priorities and developing strategies for their execution as part of Benue’s long-term development.

Alia urged participants to think beyond conventional approaches, challenge existing assumptions and draw lessons from successful models that could be adapted to the realities of the state.

“You were not invited here merely because of the offices you occupy or the positions you hold. You are here because of your knowledge, experience, perspective and capacity to contribute meaningfully to the future of Benue,” he said.

The governor said his administration was not seeking to debate whether Benue should attract private capital, modernise government, create jobs, strengthen security and expand its productive economy, stressing that those objectives had already been established.

He said the task before the participants was to determine how the objectives could be achieved “farther, faster and better.”

The summit is focusing on governance and execution; security and justice; capital formation and fiscal sustainability; economic development and investment; agriculture and rural prosperity; infrastructure, power and logistics; human capital development; technology and artificial intelligence; as well as productivity and citizen experience.

Alia said the areas were interconnected, noting that agricultural development would depend on security, while businesses required infrastructure and reliable power to remain productive.

He also stressed that investment could not thrive without confidence in the economic environment.

The governor called for proposals that would be ambitious but realistic, innovative but implementable, and directly linked to job creation and improved household prosperity.

He urged participants to assess every proposal based on whether it would protect the people and provide them with a genuine pathway to a better life.

“If a proposal does neither, then we must honestly ask ourselves why the Government should commit its limited time, energy and resources,” Alia said.

According to the governor, the summit would culminate in an executive review, strategic alignment and approval, with the process expected to move the state from ideas to choices and ultimately to action and measurable results.

While acknowledging that the summit was being held during a campaign season, Alia urged participants to place the long-term interests of Benue above partisan considerations.

“The next election matters, but the future and prosperity of Benue matters more,” he said.

He added that the state’s development agenda must extend beyond an election cycle, administration or individual, expressing confidence that the summit would produce recommendations capable of making a tangible difference in the lives of Benue residents.