As Enugu State celebrated Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s 53rd birthday on March 17, it became an opportune moment to reflect on the transformative strides his administration has made in fostering economic growth and attracting investment. With less than two years in office, Governor Mbah has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to repositioning Enugu as a regional hub for business, infrastructure, innovation and living. His structured implementation of the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) reforms and other strategic initiatives has created an enabling environment that is drawing local and international investors.
Governor Mbah’s economic vision is predicated on the belief that Enugu must grow beyond its historical strengths and aggressively position itself as a preferred destination for business, investment, tourism and for living. This commitment was evident on his first day in office when he signed Executive Order 005, mandating all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to publish service level agreements detailing costs, processes and timeframe for service delivery. This landmark reform has entrenched predictability, transparency, accountability and efficiency in public service delivery, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks that previously hindered business operations.
The transformative journey of Dr. Mbah’s administration in Enugu State can be chronicled through tangible and consequential projects impacting both citizens and businesses. One critical aspect of his economic agenda is improving access to land and property acquisition. Recognizing that land is a key asset for business activities, Governor Mbah has reformed the state’s land administration system to make it faster, more transparent and investor-friendly. The result is a streamlined system that significantly reduces the time and cost required to obtain property titles, thereby encouraging commercial and industrial development. The land records in the state have been fully digitized under the newly established Enugu Geographical Information Services (ENGIS), with over 80 percent of the titles already captured in the digital land archive.
His administration has also introduced a more predictable and business-friendly tax regime. The state’s Internal Revenue Service has implemented measures to simplify tax payments and eliminate arbitrary levies. The adoption of the Consolidated Demand Notice regime and an electronic tax filing and payment system has ensured greater compliance while reducing the burden on businesses, making Enugu more attractive for investors.
Infrastructure development remains at the heart of Governor Mbah’s strategy for economic transformation. His administration has invested heavily in road construction, digital connectivity, and increased provision of electric power to create a more conducive environment for business. The statistics are staggering, with construction and rehabilitation of over 300 kilometres of urban and rural roads in the state, together with over 379,890m of fibre optic cables installed across the metropolis to ensure full surveillance and security.
For emphasis, Mbah initiated and completed one of the best and most ultramodern Command and Control Centres in Africa with complementary AI-enabled surveillance and digital cameras with capacity for facial and number plate recognition that were installed across the state as well as more than 150 security vehicles installed with the same quality high-tech cameras. These vehicles aid the operations of the Distress Response Squad, a special police unit, which Mbah set up for crime prevention and speedy response to security situations.
This is coupled with the enactment of the Enugu State Electricity Law 2023, followed by the establishment and full operationalization of the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC). Governor Mbah has strengthened the regulatory framework, creating an enabling environment for service providers, developers, investors, stakeholders, and customers to participate as licensees, off-takers, or players in the electricity sector. Consequently, industrial clusters and manufacturing zones are now benefiting from improved electricity access, ensuring uninterrupted operations for businesses in critical sectors.
To further enhance the business climate, the state government has digitized the business registration process and streamlined application procedures, allowing entrepreneurs to register their businesses and apply for permits through a one-stop shop platform. This initiative has eliminated unnecessary delays and paperwork, providing a seamless experience for both local and foreign investors.
Under Governor Mbah’s leadership, several key projects have been initiated across various sectors, each contributing to job creation and economic expansion.
In the educational sector, Governor Peter Mbah has launched an ambitious initiative known as the Smart Green Schools across all 260 wards in Enugu State, aimed at revolutionizing the state’s educational landscape. In a significant move to enhance primary healthcare delivery, Governor Mbah’s administration is constructing ultramodern well-equipped 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres, with staff quarters across all electoral wards in the state. This initiative aims to provide accessible and quality healthcare services to residents, ensuring a healthy workforce essential for economic productivity. The World Health Organization, European Union and have commended this effort, noting that it sets the administration apart in the demonstration of a strong political commitment to health and in aligning with sustainable pathways toward achieving health security and universal health coverage for the people of Enugu State.
In the manufacturing sector, Jelfah Nigeria Ltd. is revitalizing the once-thriving Sunrise Flour Mills in a N30bn deal with the Enugu State Government, a major breakthrough in terms of investment and revitalization of moribund assets as promised by the governor during the election campaign. This move is set to boost local production and supply chains. Similarly, Waston Doors is spearheading security and wooden door manufacturing, while Sapphire Ceramics Company is championing ceramics tile production. The establishment of NORTRA Tractors assembly plan in Enugu by ODK group of Denmark in the state is a significant development marking a major step towards his administration’s vision to grow the state’s economy from 4.4 billion to $30 billion GDP in eight years. This development will also bolster the manufacturing sector, supporting the agricultural sector’s mechanization drive.
Agriculture, a sector with immense potential in Enugu, has also witnessed remarkable investment. Pragmatic Palms Limited is leading efforts to revive Enugu United Palm Products Ltd. in a N100bn investment deal, ensuring the state reclaims its position in palm oil production. Praxis Africa, in collaboration with IAEGO Agro Venture, is investing in large-scale mechanized farming, funding farm activities, and establishing agricultural clusters across the state’s 17 local government areas. These initiatives align with Governor Mbah’s broader goal of leveraging agriculture as a key driver of economic growth and effective governance of Enugu State’s space.
Health infrastructure has received a major boost, with Med Serve overseeing the rehabilitation and upgrade of hospitals to provide world-class diagnostic and oncology services, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and brachytherapy. EquiLease has been instrumental in supplying state-of-the-art medical equipment to ensure that healthcare facilities in Enugu meet global standards. Additionally, African Medical City is developing a general hospital to expand access to quality healthcare services.
In the area of water resources, Governor Mbah has spearheaded water infrastructure development, focusing on advanced metering infrastructure operations and maintenance. Complementing this effort, OSTAP International Water Consulting, an Austrian company, recently undertook to invest and is indeed already investing $100 million as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to boost the state’s water infrastructure. This is under the auspices of WANDE NEXUS company to implement sustainable advanced metering infrastructure, (AMI) project in Enugu. This is in addition to designing modern sewer systems, sewage treatment plants, and digitalizing existing sewage systems to improve sanitation across the state.
Governor Mbah’s commitment to infrastructure is further show-cased in The New Enugu City project, a visionary initiative to propel the state into a prosperous future. The nearly 10,000-hectre smart city spans infrastructure, education, healthcare, and technology, emphasizing sustainability and community collaboration, leaving a legacy of progress.
Other major FDI investments in real estate and urban development, include that of Century Nominee Ltd., in collaboration with Al Waly Group of Egypt, in developing the Sugarland Smart City Estate, a futuristic residential and commercial hub that promises to redefine urban living in Enugu. Similarly, Proxily Integrated Services Ltd. is advancing plans for an ultra-modern market and residential development, further enhancing the state’s urban appeal.
The youth and sports sector has also benefited from similar strategic investments. Afrinvest Group, is actively involved in the provision of sporting infrastructure and logistics, as well as branding and sponsorship initiatives aimed at reviving the state’s Rangers football club for global competitiveness. The government, which sees sports as big business is upgrading the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium to an ultramodern sports complex and has landed the hosting right for the 2026 National Sports Festival.
Skills development and acquisition centers have also been robustly strengthened under the coordination of the Enugu SME Centre. Various programs like the Human Capital Development Training, Enugu State SME-ALT School Training (ESAST) program, Enugu Cyber Security Learning Program (ECSL), and Enugu Data Analytics Training Program (EDAT) are ongoing to improve skills acquisition in the state.
Energy and industrialization have not been left behind, with Greenville LNG Company enabled by this administration in the ongoing development of LNG mother and daughter stations across the state to improve gas supply and industrial energy needs.
The Long abandoned International Complex Centre (ICC) has been completed by the Mbah Administration and commissioned recently by the President Ahmed Tinubu. This is as the reactivation of other moribund state enterprises including Nigergas Company Limited and Presidential hotels Limited are nearing completion. The Enugu International Conference 5-star Hotel was flagged off in May 2024 and billed for commissioning in a few months time.
In conclusion, as we look to the future, one can confidently say that together, under his focused leadership, we can create a brighter and prosperous Enugu State for all. It is, therefore, a thing of joy to join the rest of the country in celebrating Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah at 53 and in wishing him more life and grace as he pilots Enugu to the greater heights.
• Ogbu-Nwobodo is an investment and transaction lawyer_