The greatest challenge facing North-East Nigeria today is not merely the destruction caused by years of insurgency, but the region’s limited human capacity to transform its vast natural and economic potential into sustainable development. Despite abundant agricultural resources and a large youthful population, the region continues to lag behind on most socio-economic indicators.
The ability to shape the future of any society depends largely on the quality of its people. Consciously developed, human capital drives innovation, productivity and prosperity. Neglected, it breeds poverty, stagnation and insecurity.
The North-East, comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states, accounts for about 14 per cent of Nigeria’s population and occupies nearly one-third of the country’s land mass. Rich in agricultural potential, the region produces livestock and major crops such as sorghum, millet, cotton, groundnuts, cassava, wheat and rice. Yet years of conflict and decades of neglect have left it among the least developed parts of the country.
The North-East States Transformation Strategy (NESTS)*. published in 2014 acknowledged that the region possesses abundant human and natural resources capable of making it an economic powerhouse. Instead, insurgency compounded longstanding structural challenges, pushing many development indicators further downward.
One recurring challenge identified in the strategy is the lack of credible and accessible data. Although governments prepare annual budgets, reliable information on actual expenditure, revenue performance and development outcomes remains limited. Without dependable data, it becomes difficult to measure progress, improve planning or strengthen accountability.
Equally important is the absence of detailed state-level economic statistics. While the National Bureau of Statistics publishes national figures on GDP, inflation and other indicators, disaggregated data at state and local government levels remain inadequate. This weakens evidence-based policymaking.
However, beyond data limitations lies a more pressing concern: human capital development.
With young people constituting a significant share of the population, many have either never attended school or dropped out before completing secondary education. This leaves a large segment of society vulnerable to poverty, manipulation and recruitment by violent groups.
Improving access to quality education remains one of the most effective ways of reducing poverty and insecurity in the North-East. Since 2009, insurgency, school closures and mass displacement have denied millions of children uninterrupted access to learning, worsening already poor human development outcomes.
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the National Bureau of Statistics’ Multidimensional Poverty Index, more than 86 per cent of residents in states such as Gombe experience multidimensional poverty, while out-of-school rates exceed 60 per cent in several conflict-affected communities. Human development indicators across the zone remain significantly below national averages.
The region also records some of the country’s lowest school attendance rates, while insecurity has continued to disrupt education infrastructure. When young people grow up without literacy, vocational skills or employment opportunities, they become more susceptible to recruitment by insurgent and criminal groups that exploit frustration and economic hardship.
Multidimensional poverty remains widespread. Gombe records about 86.2 per cent of its population as multidimensionally poor, while Yobe exceeds 80 per cent. State Human Development Index (HDI) scores are among the lowest nationwide. Adamawa records an HDI of about 0.539, while Taraba and Yobe trail behind. Life expectancy remains below 55 years, and severe childhood undernutrition continues to affect many communities.
The region’s economy also trails much of the country. According to the NESTS document, the North-East contributes only about five per cent of Nigeria’s non-federal Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), reflecting limited business activity and weak revenue mobilisation.
Yet the region’s story is not entirely one of decline. The World Bank’s Doing Business Report ranked Borno, Yobe and Gombe among Nigeria’s better-performing states on indicators such as property registration. Borno recorded one of the shortest timelines for property registration, while Yobe ranked best nationally in registration costs. These examples demonstrate that progress is possible where reforms are sustained.
To build on such gains, governments at all levels should prioritise investments in people. Expanding teacher recruitment and training, improving girls’ education, increasing scholarships, and strengthening technical and vocational education would equip young people with practical skills in agriculture, construction, technology and entrepreneurship. A displaced teenager who acquires marketable skills is far more likely to build a productive future than to be drawn into violence.
Peace and security remain essential. Continued attacks on communities, schools and economic infrastructure discourage investment and slow development. Restoring security must therefore go hand in hand with long-term investments in education, healthcare and livelihoods.
Countries that have successfully transformed their economies have done so by investing heavily in human capital. China’s sustained emphasis on education, vocational training, research and technological innovation illustrates how developing people’s capabilities can drive national growth. While the North-East’s realities differ, the broader lesson remains relevant: lasting development depends on building skilled, healthy and productive citizens.
For the North-East, this means complementing investments in roads, bridges and public infrastructure with greater investments in universities, research institutions, science, technology, vocational education and innovation. Physical infrastructure is necessary, but it is people who ultimately sustain development.
Rebuilding schools, supporting teachers and empowering young people with relevant skills may prove to be the region’s strongest defence against future instability. The North-East’s long-term recovery will depend not only on reconstructing what conflict destroyed, but also on developing the human capacity needed to secure lasting peace and inclusive economic growth.