ENUGU, ONCE A CIVIL SERVICE STATE NOW AN INDUSTRIAL HUB

ENUGU, ONCE A CIVIL SERVICE STATE, NOW AN INDUSTRIAL HUB

Enugu, once known primarily as a state dominated by civil servants and characterized by sluggish growth, is now being reshaped under Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.

In less than two years, this metropolitan city has been recast as a dynamic hub of industry, innovation, and investment.

When Mbah took office in May 2023, he inherited a state with a $4.4 billion GDP heavily reliant on federal allocations

His response was decisive: a promise to elevate Enugu’s economy to $30 billion within eight years, anchored in concrete reforms that would end the era of red tape.

Within weeks, Executive Order 005 mandated transparency across MDAs, requiring published service-level agreements that laid bare costs, timelines, and responsibilities.

Mbah turned Enugu into a construction sandbox. Over 732 roads, a record-breaking feat, now weave through urban and rural areas, unlocking new zones for agriculture, real estate, and logistics. At the same time, water production rose from 2 million to 120 million litres daily by reviving the 9th Mile and Oji River schemes.

He also signed the Enugu State Electricity Law 2023 and operationalised the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission, fuelling industrial zones with consistent energy supply and inviting private sector participation in power generation.

Digital Foundations and Business-Friendly Reforms

From the outset, Mbah recognized that modern economies require modern systems. Over 300 kilometres of roads and nearly 380,000 metres of fibre optic cables now criss–cross the city, supporting AI-enabled command-and-control centres for security and surveillance, complete with facial recognition and number-plate tracking.

Enugu’s land administration was similarly transformed: through the Enugu Geographic Information Services (ENGIS) over 80% of land titles were digitised, slashing processing times to 72 hours and eliminating corruption-prone delays.

Meanwhile, tax reforms, including a unified electronic filing system, produced a 286% surge in internally generated revenue, reaching ₦144.7 billion by September 2024.

In a move signaling industrial ambition, Enugu is reviving dormant giants such as Sunrise Flour Mills, United Palm Produce Ltd., and Nigergas Ltd.

These legacy players are finding new life, alongside the development of Lion Business Park, a Free Trade and Industrial Zone set to anchor private investment and job creation.

Moreover, the New Enugu City Project, spanning 10,000 hectares, is envisioned as a smart city integrating residential zones, medical centres, innovation parks, and efficient public transport systems, powered by smart utility grids and high-speed connectivity.

Education, Health, Agriculture: Building the Future Workforce
Governor Mbah has prioritized long-term growth by transforming the human capital ecosystem. His administration commissioned 260 Smart Green Schools, integrating ICT, robotics, and AI resources in every ward to prepare students for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Health reforms include 260 state-of-the-art primary healthcare centers, accessible even in remote areas.

In agriculture, Enugu signed MoUs to harness over 7,000 hectares at Ugwujoro, Nimbo, focusing on commercial farming and agro-processing as components of GDP expansion and job creation.

Security, Logistics, and Regional Integration
Security received a tech-driven overhaul with the launch of the Distress Response Squad, AI surveillance vehicles, and thousands of CCTV cameras, making Enugu one of Nigeria’s most securitized states.

Logistically, the state is building mega transport hubs in Nsukka, Garki, and Ogbete, alongside planning truck terminals, a dry port, and an enhanced Enugu Airport cargo terminal. In transport innovation, CNG mass transit and electric buses are set to revitalize intra-state movement and reduce emissions.

No Longer Just a Civil Servants State
Governor Peter Mbah’s tenure marks a radical departure from Enugu’s perception as a sleepy, bureaucratic state.

His disruptive strategies, economic, infrastructural, and digital, are reshaping Enugu into an industrial epicentre poised for trade, manufacturing, and innovation.

Once constrained by dependence on federal allocations, Enugu now pilfers investor confidence, industry, and opportunity, laying bold claim to its fate as a South East mega‑economy and investment destination.

Conclusion: A Blueprint for Inclusive Economic Transformation
As Mbah charts Enugu’s course from “Civil Servants State” to Industrial and Investment Hub, his model combines visionary thinking with operational rigor.

By fusing transparency reforms, infrastructure scale-up, legacy industry revival, and human capital investment, his administration is writing a new chapter in Enugu’s development story.

If sustained, Governor Mbah’s industrial vision may not only reshape Enugu, at a GDP of $30 billion and counting, it may redefine the future of state-led growth across Nigeria.