Enugu To Boost Commerce With Investment Roundtable

Enugu State Government on Friday, began the process of boosting its’ commerce, industry, and trade through its Enugu Investment Roundtable.

The theme of this roundtable, “Leveraging Public Private  Partnerships” was purposefully chosen to align with Governor Peter Mbah administration’s vision to accelerate sustainable economic transformation with the private sector at the helm.

Therefore, this roundtable, marks a new beginning for long-term partnerships and cooperation for shared prosperity, which will catalyse a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous Enugu state.

Addressing participants at the roundtable investment summit, governor of Enugu state, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah recalled that Enugu State had historically led South-eastern peers in economic performance and served as the de facto capital of the region.

“Prior to the civil war, Enugu’s rich coal mines were the engine of the nation’s economy. Our abundant mineral resources supported a thriving iron and steel industry in Enugu, while our limestone deposits enriched cement plants, and the automobile manufacturing industry continues to thrive in our state“. Mbah noted.

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“Enugu’s fertile lands have blessed us with rich palm plantations and the best cashew species in Nigeria. Cotton and sorghum grow on our fertile lands, and our Ose Nsukka can be found in almost every Nigerian home.

“Our state lends itself naturally to ecotourism. You will find the best ecotourism sites as well as a variety of historic and recreational sites here. From the Udi Hill, from which the majority of Enugu can be seen, to mysterious caves and waterfalls, and potential conservation centres such as the Pine Forest and the 2,500-hectare Milliken Forest reserve.

“Enugu’s start-up ecosystem currently ranks fourth in Nigeria and ninth in West Africa, and the state is home to six (6) fully accredited universities. Because of our vast natural gas reserves, Enugu bears the responsibility of playing a critical role in ensuring Nigeria’s just green economy transition”. The governor said.

Enugu State is the beating heart of Southeast Nigeria and a vital trade and investment gateway into the region. Enugu State is the natural gateway between the South-eastern region, Northern Nigeria as well as the rest of Africa.

Enugu is a market brimming with potential and opportunities, thanks to these unique blends of competitive advantages.

Before discussing how his administration plans to implement its integrated sector strategy, the governor briefly discuss his deliberate efforts to ensure Enugu is safe and secure.

The governor lamented that for more than 20 years,

residents’ biggest problem has been getting access to water, which has put a heavy financial burden on them.

“From the current level of 2,000 cubic metres,

we have produced 20,000 cubic metres of water so far. We aim to produce 60,000 cubic metres and reticulate it to every home before my 180 days in office.

As part of our social sector strategy, we will actively modernize our water resource systems to guarantee that both urban and rural residents have access to clean water and sanitation facilities.

Meanwhile, final Doing Business Index report ranked Enugu as the 9th best state in the nation for the process, time, and cost of registering a property, and as the 3rd best state in the nation for the process, time, and cost of starting a business.

The roundtable attracted  the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jonny Baxter, World Bank Nigeria Country Director, Shubham Chaudhuri, the Regional Chief Operating Officer, African Export-Import Bank, (AfriExim) and Chief Economist and Vice President African Development Bank (AfDB), Prof Kevin Urama.

Others are the Deputy Director, Investment – United Kingdom Department for Business and Trade, Morayo Adekunle, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company, Chinua Azubuike, among other investment partners.