
Listening to Experts. Learning from Experience.
As we shape a 25-year development vision for Rivers State, the process must be grounded in both citizen insight and expert knowledge, and this is where Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) come in.
FGDs are a vital component of the Rivers 2050 Vision, providing a space where subject matter experts, development practitioners, community leaders, industry players, academics, and government officials can share practical insights and tested ideas that inform our collective future.
Led by the Focus Group Committee, these sessions bring together stakeholders across various sectors, from education, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure to agriculture, youth empowerment, governance, and the environment. Each session is designed to identify opportunities, expose challenges, and surface policy recommendations that will shape the content of the Rivers 2050: Our Vision book.

Why Focus Groups Matter:
- Contextual Intelligence: Experts provide data and lived experience that deepen our understanding of sector-specific issues.
- Policy Anchoring: Insights from FGDs will help ensure that our final vision aligns with both local realities and global development standards.
- Cross-sector Collaboration: These discussions foster dialogue between sectors that are often siloed, enabling more connected and inclusive planning
- Local Expertise, Global Thinking: FGDs allow us to localize best practices from around the world to the unique context of Rivers State.
How It Works:
- Each FGD is hosted virtually and moderated by members of the Focus Group Committee.
- Participants are carefully selected based on expertise, experience, and relevance to the thematic area.
- Outputs from each session are documented, analyzed, and fed directly into the visioning process.

15 Thematic Areas
Experts are being collated into focus groups along the following 15 thematic areas:
- Education & Academia
- Healthcare
- Culture & Tourism
- Technology & Innovation
- Food Security
- Human Security & Safety
- Media, Sports & Entertainment
- Housing & Urban Planning
- Environment & Sanitation
- Transportation
- Justice & Institutions
- Youth Development
- Energy
- Business & Investment
- Blue Economy