By Aaron Ossai
The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a Bill seeking to establish the National Commission for Rural Infrastructure and Development (NACRID), a proposed agency aimed at providing a coordinated framework for financing, monitoring and supporting rural infrastructure projects across Nigeria.
The Bill, sponsored by the member representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency, Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, is titled: “A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Commission for Rural Infrastructure and Development (NACRID); to Provide a Comprehensive Framework for the Financing, Coordination, Monitoring, Evaluation and Support of Rural Infrastructure and Development Programmes; to Establish the National Rural Development Fund; and for Related Matters.”
Leading debate on the Bill’s general principles, Hon. Abdullahi said the proposed legislation would create an institutional framework to drive coordinated rural infrastructure development in line with the constitutional objectives of government.
He said the initiative was prompted by the persistent infrastructure deficit in rural communities despite years of development planning and substantial public investments.
According to the lawmaker, rural communities, which are home to the majority of Nigerians and serve as the country’s agricultural and natural resource base, continue to face poor road networks, inadequate access to potable water, unreliable electricity, weak healthcare systems, insufficient educational facilities, poor digital connectivity, limited market access and inadequate economic opportunities.
He noted that these shortcomings have contributed to rising poverty, unemployment, food insecurity and increasing rural-to-urban migration.
“No nation can attain sustainable economic growth while neglecting the communities that produce its food, supply its raw materials and sustain its local economy. Rural development must therefore be regarded not merely as a social obligation but as a strategic economic priority,” Abdullahi said.
The sponsor anchored the Bill on Sections 14(2)(b) and 16(2)(d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which emphasise the welfare of citizens and mandate government to provide essential infrastructure and services that improve living standards.
Abdullahi also cited the experience of the defunct Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI), saying that while the agency had its limitations, it demonstrated the impact targeted rural infrastructure investments could have on livelihoods and economic growth.
He explained that NACRID would differ from DFRRI by operating under modern principles of transparency, accountability, sustainable financing, intergovernmental collaboration, digital monitoring and legislative oversight.
While acknowledging that existing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) oversee sectors such as roads, agriculture, water resources, power, health, education and communications, the lawmaker argued that Nigeria lacks a single institution dedicated to coordinating and financing integrated rural infrastructure development nationwide.
“As a result, interventions are often fragmented, funding is inconsistent, planning is sectoral rather than integrated, and many rural communities remain underserved,” he said.
He stressed that the proposed Commission would complement, rather than duplicate, the functions of existing MDAs by serving as a central institution for financing, policy coordination, technical support, and monitoring and performance evaluation.
Abdullahi compared the proposed intervention model to agencies such as TETFund and UBEC, saying NACRID would provide a dedicated mechanism for mobilising resources, supporting implementation and ensuring accountability in rural infrastructure development.
He further explained that the Commission would not function as a project-executing agency. Instead, project implementation would largely be handled by State Rural Infrastructure and Development Boards or designated state agencies through a counterpart funding arrangement similar to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) model.
Under the proposed framework, states would prepare Rural Development Action Plans, provide counterpart funding, execute approved projects and account for the use of intervention funds.
According to the sponsor, the arrangement is intended to strengthen ownership, accountability, sustainability and collaboration among the federal, state and local governments in tackling rural infrastructure challenges.
Following debate, the House overwhelmingly supported the Bill and passed it for second reading, paving the way for further legislative consideration at the committee stage.
