BY: NEWS EDITOR, AUGUST 30, 2025/ 04:09PM

The North East Governors' Forum (NEGF) has acknowledged the progress made in the fight against insurgency in the region but expressed concern over the daunting humanitarian and infrastructural challenges still faced by the subregion.

This was disclosed during the forum's 12th meeting, held in Jalingo, Taraba State, on August 30, 2025, and chaired by Governor of Borno, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum.

The forum, comprising the governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states, noted that despite successes in the fight against insurgency, the humanitarian crisis in the region has worsened.

This reporter learned that the worsening in humanitarian crises was due to the withdrawal of major donor agencies like USAID.

Women and children are the most affected by the crisis, with many NGOs and the Federal Government of Nigeria raising alarms about looming hunger in the region, particularly in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.

The forum also took note of the forecast of credible agencies on climate risk and the impending flood disaster in the subregion.

It called for proactive measures to confront the flood and robust sensitization of settlers along the flood plains.

The forum also urged support from both the Federal Government and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to reconstruct broken infrastructure, especially bridges, damaged by the flood.

Furthermore, the forum expressed concern over the high cost of agricultural inputs, which could have negative consequences on farm outputs next year.

To avert an impending food crisis, it called for more subsidies to farmers and robust preparation for dry season farming.

In other developments, the forum agreed to hold the North East Trade Fair in partnership with the North East Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NECCIMA) in Maiduguri, Borno State, in December 2025.

The forum also recommitted to subduing energy poverty by tasking the Committee on Power and Energy to come up with an integrated subregional power master plan.

The NEGF congratulated the University of Maiduguri on its golden jubilee and expressed its willingness to support the 50th anniversary celebration and the re-launch of the University Endowment Fund in November 2025.

The next meeting of the forum is scheduled to hold in Maiduguri between December 12 and 14, 2025.