Enugu Plans to Boost Commerce Through Stakeholders Roundtable 

With the first Enugu State Investment and Economic Growth Stakeholders Roundtable slated for September 1, the Enugu State Government hopes to increase business, industry, and trade in the region.

Peter Mbah, the state’s governor, will present a $2.1 billion project pipeline to domestic and foreign investors.

Mbah informed the local and international investment community of a wealth of investment opportunities in the state when speaking to envoys from India, China, Mexico, and other nations at the International Investment Conference, which was held in Lagos.

He emphasised that the state was quickly reducing investment risk and improving the ease of doing business.

Mbah said his administration was focused on a paradigm shift from the conventional model of relying on allocations from the Federation Account, as the state’s future and new growth plan rested on leveraging its abundant human and material resources. Mbah highlighted the state’s investment opportunities at the conference.

He said, “Enugu is now open for business. We are markedly revisiting our ‘ease of doing business’ indicators to ensure the environment is conducive for business. For example, our new land title processes will facilitate the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy in not more than three days, or 72 hours.

“Processes for the procurement of building approvals will also be revisited and markedly reduced to achieve improved efficiency.

“We are automating all our major government processes to ensure transparency in all aspects of engagement with government and facilitate self-service by the public with little or no need for physical engagement with public servants.”

He claims that the state is prepared to reduce the risk associated with business investment in important industries by, among other things, granting access to land, supporting infrastructure, and managing engagement with host communities.

Mbah stated that the state was in a position to utilise comparative advantage in several important areas of agriculture by making another 300,000 hectares of farmland available for the raising of priority crops and livestock.

He declared that the state would focus on producing cashews, soy beans, oil palm, cassava, and other crops.