The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has honoured the late Chief Albert Korubo Horsfall, OFR, as a foremost figure whose leadership helped establish the institutional foundation for federal intervention in the development of the oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta. Horsfall, who died on Thursday, September 24, 2026, was the pioneer Chairman of the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), established in 1992 to address developmental challenges in oil-producing areas.
The NDDC Board and Management paid tribute to Horsfall on Friday at the Commission's headquarters in Port Harcourt, where they signed the condolence register in his honour and reflected on his contribution to the evolution of organised development intervention in the Niger Delta. The occasion was significant because the NDDC headquarters itself forms part of the institutional journey that Horsfall helped initiate.
According to a tribute by Dr. (Engr.) Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, the foundation stone of the NDDC headquarters was laid in 1995 during Horsfall's tenure at OMPADEC, although the project remained uncompleted for years. Audu-Ohwavborua, a former Director of Project Monitoring and Supervision at the NDDC, said the headquarters project was eventually revived in 2017 under the administration of former Managing Director/CEO Obong Nsima Ekere, with Federal Executive Council approval for its re-award.
Horsfall occupies a significant place in the history of the institutions through which the Federal Government has sought to respond to the region's developmental challenges. Established under the NDDC Act of 2000, the Commission succeeded OMPADEC with a broader mandate for the development of the Niger Delta. The transition from OMPADEC to the NDDC did not erase the contribution of those who pioneered the original intervention.
Beyond the Niger Delta development mandate, Horsfall also left a major mark on Nigeria's security and intelligence architecture. A police officer by training, he was a pioneer member of the former National Security Organisation and subsequently became the pioneer Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency. He later served as the second Director-General of the State Security Service, now known as the Department of State Services.
In the Niger Delta, Horsfall was associated with the Kalabari Kingdom and served as the Omekwe Paramount Chief. He was a founding member of the Board of Trustees of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, through which he remained involved in regional affairs. The NDDC's tribute came against the backdrop of growing recognition of his role in the early institutional response to the developmental needs of oil-producing communities.
Former Managing Directors and Chief Executives of the Commission, including Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, Obong Nsima Ekere, and Mrs Iyasere Osato, were among those associated with the remembrance. The NDDC Board and Management, led by Chairman Chiedu Ebie and Managing Director/CEO Chief Samuel Ogbuku, were commended for honouring Horsfall and preserving the institutional memory of the Commission. Horsfall's legacy extends beyond the offices he occupied, encompassing Nigeria's intelligence services, OMPADEC, the evolution of the NDDC, and the wider Niger Delta development story.
Key points
- The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has paid tribute to the late Chief Albert Korubo Horsfall, OFR, for his role in laying the foundation for federal intervention in the Niger Delta.
