Let me congratulate Mr. President for launching the South-East Investment Company (SEIC): “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the South-East Investment Company (SEIC), a federally backed investment vehicle under the newly formed South East Development Commission (SEDC), in what is being described as a critical step toward closing decades-long economic gaps in Nigeria’s South-East region. With a projected capital base of N150 billion, the SEIC is tasked with mobilizing private sector funds, boosting industrialization, and driving inclusive growth in the zone”.

This is commendable. Largely, SEIC could be a management company that will work with technical partners to execute catalytic and pivotal projects in SE Nigeria. We hope to see Southeast Railways to link all the states in the region. Also, we should have Southeast Post to ensure that we have an efficient supply chain system. Finally, SEIC must invest in gas pipelines that will link all major cities in the Southeast as without energy, there will not be development. Leave marginal domains like real estate, hospitals, telecoms, etc as if you deal with the anchors like railways, postal services and energy, private investors will converge and develop those areas.

Developing the Southeast can only happen this way as the individual states do not have capacities to execute major projects.  Nigeria developed fastest when it was structured regionally!

At Abia State Diaspora Commission, we are exploring the concept of unveiling Abia Diasporas Corporation Plc, a vehicle to drive development through private investments, with the understanding that all citizens of the world are Abians, since Abia is the God’s Own State (and God’s Own People!). The Commission will explore strategic partnerships with SEIC/SEDC as the playbooks advance. In Abia, we have noted that linking all LGA headquarters with rail tracks will drive the development of rural communities since access to markets, efficient logistics, etc will accelerate economic outputs.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the South-East Investment Company (SEIC), a federally backed investment vehicle under the newly formed South East Development Commission (SEDC), in what is being described as a critical step toward closing decades-long economic gaps in Nigeria’s South-East region.

With a projected capital base of N150 billion, the SEIC is tasked with mobilizing private sector funds, boosting industrialization, and driving inclusive growth in the zone.

According to the Presidency, the SEIC will initially be wholly owned by the SEDC but will later transition into a public-private partnership, incorporating capital from state governments, private investors, development finance institutions, and diaspora contributors. Its mandate includes overseeing targeted investments in key areas such as infrastructure, education, entrepreneurship, and other development-focused interventions.

“The SEIC represents a bold step forward in regional development. It is more than a financial vehicle. It is a long-term strategy to unlock private capital, de-risk investment, and deliver sustainable economic growth for the South-East,” said Mr. Mark Okoye, Managing Director of the SEDC, during a presentation at the State House in Abuja.

The approval comes just months after President Tinubu signed into law the South East Development Commission Act—a bill that had lingered for several years in the National Assembly before finally gaining traction in 2024. The law was touted not merely as a development tool but as a policy response aimed at addressing the deep-seated sense of marginalization that has festered in the South-East since the aftermath of the Biafran War. The region, often underfunded and underrepresented in national development initiatives, has for decades pointed to the lack of federal infrastructure projects and investment as evidence of a sustained economic exclusion.

The SEIC, inspired by the legacy of the defunct Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation (ENDC) under Dr. Michael Okpara in the 1960s, seeks to rekindle that era’s industrial growth by leveraging modern financial instruments. According to the Presidency, the company will raise funds through hybrid bonds, equity participation, and callable capital, with pilot fundraising and investments slated to begin in Q4 of 2025.

However, while the initiative has been widely welcomed, concerns about its sustainability, transparency, and scale are already being raised.

It is believed that the N150 billion capital projection is far too meagre to produce tangible transformation across the five South-East states. Some analysts suggest that the sum may not be enough to drive significant change in just one state, let alone the entire region, given the depth of infrastructural decay and youth unemployment.

There is also concern that the SEIC may end up like many other government-backed interventions—bogged down by bureaucracy, political infighting, or worse, looted by vested interests. Already, concerns are swirling that the funds could be spread thinly across multiple concurrent projects with no central focus, leading to little or no measurable impact on the region’s economy.

There’s also apprehension about whether the federal government’s commitment will remain consistent, especially if political tides shift or fiscal conditions worsen. Some believe the company’s promise of transitioning into a public-private partnership is critical, but note that success will depend heavily on investor confidence and real guarantees that funds won’t be mismanaged.

Nevertheless, the federal government insists that SEIC will undergo full regulatory and compliance vetting to ensure it operates within global standards. The Presidency said the initiative will be supported by clear governance structures, annual audits, and independent performance reviews to ensure it remains accountable and impact-driven.

Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystem at Google, is calling for a fundamental shift in how computer science is taught and perceived in the age of artificial intelligence.

Speaking at a Google education summit on July 18, Samat argued that the traditional framing of computer science as a coding-centric discipline is outdated and no longer meets the needs of today’s students—or the companies that will eventually employ them.

While many universities and prospective students still treat the degree as a gateway to learning how to code, Samat believes this view misses the point.

“If what you want to do is write Java code, you don’t need a computer science degree,” he said. “That’s not what computer science is.”

Instead, he emphasized the discipline as the art of abstraction—of breaking complex problems into solvable components, designing systems to address them, and collaborating across disciplines to build long-lasting solutions.

His comments come as the influence of generative AI tools, such as GitHub Copilot and Google’s own Gemini, continues to expand. These systems can already auto-generate code snippets, optimize scripts, and suggest full-function logic, prompting fears that human coders might soon become obsolete. But Samat disagrees with the idea that AI will replace the value of a computer science education. Instead, he believes AI will force the field to evolve—and in the process, highlight the deeper value of system-level thinking and architectural design that machines can’t easily replicate.

Samat, who studied computer science at the University of California, San Diego, reflected on how foundational courses in assembly language helped him grasp what’s happening under the hood of modern software. He said this deeper understanding of computing systems is what distinguishes a true computer scientist from someone who merely writes code. It also explains why companies like Google increasingly look for engineers who can integrate technical knowledge with domain-specific expertise.

He also warned against choosing the major purely for job security. “Too many students are selecting computer science because it’s seen as a safe, high-paying field, not because they’re passionate about solving hard problems,” he said. “That doesn’t work anymore.”

Employers now seek individuals who not only possess technical skills but also bring unique perspectives from other disciplines—whether it’s design, psychology, economics, or education.

Drawing from his own experience, Samat described how founding two startups in his twenties taught him more about technology and product development than formal classroom settings. One of those ventures led to a meeting with Google co-founder Sergey Brin, ultimately paving the way for his career at the company.

“When you’re passionate about solving problems, you find ways to go deeper,” he said, urging aspiring students to strive to be in the top 5% of their chosen domain.

Samat’s call to rebrand computer science education comes amid ongoing industry debates about how schools can keep up with the pace of technological change. As AI continues to automate low-level programming tasks, he believes universities must shift their focus toward teaching students how to build systems, think critically, and design for complexity.

He ended his talk with a clear message for students considering the major: Don’t just study computer science because it’s in demand—do it because you’re genuinely interested in how technology can solve real-world problems. And if you do, “go deep.”