United in purpose for Northern Nigeria
The Northern Nigerian Governors' Forum is the collective platform of the governors of Nigeria's nineteen northern states — a region that holds most of the country's landmass and more than half of its people.
Our story
History of the Forum
The Northern Nigerian Governors' Forum traces its roots to the break-up of the old Northern Region in 1967. In 1968 the governors of the six northern states that replaced the region formed the Interim Common Services Agency (ICSA), which inherited the staff, assets and liabilities of the Northern Region, including jointly owned institutions such as the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC), Arewa Hotels, New Nigerian Newspapers, the Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria and Ahmadu Bello University. Joint ownership of these assets continued even as the number of northern states grew, and after General Murtala Mohammed dissolved ICSA in 1976 the governors continued to meet as the Northern Governors' Forum, which existed throughout the years of military rule.
Since the return to civilian rule in 1999 the forum, commonly called the Northern States Governors' Forum (NSGF), has brought together the governors of the 19 northern states across party lines. It serves as a platform for collective positions on security, the economy, revenue allocation and the management of shared northern institutions. Recent chairmen include Kashim Shettima of Borno (from 2015) and Simon Lalong of Plateau (from 2019). Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe has chaired the forum since 29 May 2023.
Under Yahaya the forum has moved to strengthen its institutions. In December 2025 it appointed Dr Ezekiel Gomos as the first Director-General of its secretariat, and in July 2026 it commissioned a temporary secretariat on Muhammadu Buhari Way, Kaduna. It has also resolved to set up a Northern States Security Trust Fund funded by monthly contributions from each state, has consistently supported the creation of state police, and holds joint meetings with the Northern Traditional Rulers' Council.
What we do
Mandate & objectives
- Provide a non-partisan platform for the governors of the 19 northern states to adopt common positions on regional and national issues
- Coordinate collective responses to insecurity, including intelligence sharing, inter-state border surveillance and the Northern States Security Trust Fund
- Advocate for state policing and equity and fairness in the implementation of national policies
- Promote economic development of the region, including agriculture, livestock reform, textiles and agro-allied industrialisation
- Oversee and revitalise shared northern institutions and assets inherited from the old Northern Region, such as the New Nigeria Development Company
- Address human-capital challenges, including out-of-school children, the Almajiri system and youth unemployment
- Work with traditional rulers, the federal government and development partners on peace-building and development
Who leads
Leadership of the Forum
Dr Ezekiel Gomos
Since 2025-12-09
The Forum
Member governors
Gombe State · APC
Adamawa State · APC
Bauchi State · APM
Benue State · APC
Borno State · APC
Jigawa State · APC
Kaduna State · APC
Kano State · APC
Katsina State · APC
Kebbi State · APC
Kogi State · APC
Kwara State · APC
Nasarawa State · APC
Niger State · APC
Plateau State · APC
Sokoto State · APC
Taraba State · APC
Yobe State · APC
Zamfara State · APC
Resolutions
Recent communiqués
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Joint emergency security meeting with traditional rulers, Kaduna
At Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, the forum resolved to set up inter-state platforms for joint border surveillance, strengthen local security initiatives and urged the National Assembly to…
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Abuja meeting: state police and progress on the security trust fund
The governors insisted that only state policing can provide localised, intelligence-driven security, reviewed contributions to the security trust fund and secretariat project, and backed federal…
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Forum condemns killings in Kwara, Katsina and Benue
The forum condemned deadly attacks on communities in Kwara, Katsina and Benue states and urged security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering and coordinated operations.
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Dr Ezekiel Gomos appointed first Director-General of the Secretariat
The forum appointed former Plateau SSG Ezekiel Gomos as pioneer Director-General to reposition the secretariat as a hub for policy coordination, collective action and long-term planning.
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Northern States Security Trust Fund established
Meeting in Kaduna with the Traditional Rulers' Council, the governors agreed that each state would contribute N1 billion monthly to a regional security trust fund, urged a six-month suspension and…
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Joint meeting with the Northern Traditional Rulers' Council, Kaduna
Governors and traditional rulers called for a review of security strategy against renewed Boko Haram and North-Central violence, equity in federal infrastructure allocation, restructuring of the NNDC…
Contact
The Secretariat
The Forum's Secretariat coordinates meetings of the governors, follows up on resolutions, and serves as the first point of contact for partners, investors and citizens.
- Address
- No. 26 Muhammadu Buhari Way (formerly WAFF Road), Kaduna