By Abdullahi Alhassan
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has called on Nigeria’s private sector to invest in the state’s post-insurgency recovery, create employment opportunities for young people and support displaced families in rebuilding sustainable livelihoods.
Zulum made the appeal on Thursday at the opening of a two-day Borno State Durable Solutions to Internal Displacement Private Sector Roundtable held at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Lagos.
The roundtable, themed “Mobilising Private Capital for Durable Solutions and Sustainable Development,” brought together government officials, business executives, corporate institutions, development partners, philanthropies and other stakeholders to explore ways of mobilising private investment for reconstruction and economic development in Borno State.
Represented by his deputy, Hon. Usman Kadafur, the governor urged companies and private institutions to support resettled communities, collaborate with vocational training institutions and invest in viable enterprises capable of sustaining livelihoods.
He also called for concrete investment commitments backed by clear timelines and measurable outcomes.
“A camp cannot become a permanent address. And dependence cannot be the inheritance we pass from one generation to another,” Zulum said.
The governor acknowledged the contributions of humanitarian organisations during the insurgency but stressed that sustainable recovery required more than emergency assistance.
According to him, affected families must be empowered to earn incomes, access essential services and regain their economic independence.
He explained that Borno State’s 25-year development framework was designed to transform the state into a secure, competitive agribusiness and commercial hub through strategic investments in human capital, agriculture, healthcare, environmental sustainability and regional trade.
Zulum emphasised that relocating displaced persons from camps was not enough to resolve the challenges of displacement, noting that durable solutions must address the underlying economic and social conditions that forced families from their homes.
“We have learned that closing a camp is not the same thing as ending displacement,” he added.
Monguno Model Offers Blueprint For Sustainable Resettlement
Highlighting ongoing interventions, the governor cited Monguno as an example of efforts to combine housing with economic empowerment and essential infrastructure.
He disclosed that the Borno State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Federal Government, Germany and other development partners, had supported the provision of 1,900 permanent homes and semi-permanent shelters in the community.
The intervention also included the installation of 375 solar-powered streetlights.
Beyond housing, approximately 4,000 people benefited from grants, technical and vocational training, start-up packages and agricultural inputs, with women accounting for 40 per cent of the beneficiaries.
The programme also incorporated water supply, energy, markets, essential services, security and social cohesion to improve living conditions and strengthen community resilience.
“Housing alone is not resettlement. Housing plus livelihoods, education, healthcare, security, infrastructure and economic opportunity is what turns a settlement into a community,” Zulum said.
Education, Skills Development Take Centre Stage
On education, Zulum disclosed that his administration had constructed 104 new schools and rehabilitated 2,931 classrooms and related facilities as of December 2025.
He said school enrolment had exceeded 1.8 million children, while the estimated number of out-of-school children had dropped below 800,000.
The governor also revealed that about 3,000 young people graduated from nine vocational enterprise institutes and centres across the state earlier in 2026.
According to him, the graduates received tools, starter packs and entrepreneurship support to enable them to apply their acquired skills, establish businesses and contribute to the state’s economic recovery.
Zulum urged investors to recognise the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships between commercial interests and social development.
“I am therefore not asking you to choose between conscience and commerce. I am asking you to recognise that, in Borno, conscience and commerce can reinforce one another,” he said.
Governor Seeks Results-Driven Corporate Partnerships
The governor called on businesses to align their corporate social responsibility initiatives with projects capable of helping communities achieve long-term self-sufficiency.
He identified schools, vocational training centres, primary healthcare facilities, water supply systems and financial support for women- and youth-led enterprises as areas where private investment could make a lasting difference.
Zulum further challenged participants to ensure that the roundtable produced tangible commitments rather than ending with discussions and ceremonial statements.
“I therefore propose that this roundtable must not end with photographs and communiqués,” he declared.
He urged the business community to support displaced families in transitioning into homeowners, farmers, employees and entrepreneurs, while expanding job opportunities for young people vulnerable to recruitment by violent groups.
Borno Government Assures Investors Of Support
In separate remarks, the Acting Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Babagana Mustapha Malumbe, and the Chief Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development, Partnership and Humanitarian Support, Dr. Mairo Mandara, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to building strong partnerships and providing a conducive environment for sustainable investment.
They expressed the state government’s readiness to work with private institutions and development partners to advance reconstruction, economic recovery and long-term development.
Representatives of leading business and financial institutions, alongside international development organisations, attended the roundtable. They included the Dangote Group, First Bank, the UNDP, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the German Corporation.
The Borno State Government delegation included commissioners responsible for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement; Finance; Information and Internal Security; and Works and Housing.
Special advisers, permanent secretaries, the Executive Secretary of the Borno State Investment Promotion Agency (BOSIPA) and other senior government officials were also in attendance.
The roundtable is expected to strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors in mobilising investment for the rehabilitation of conflict-affected communities, economic inclusion and sustainable development across Borno State.
