Enugu’s path to self-reliance through security-led development
By Ismail Abdulaziz, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Security and economic development are inextricably linked.
Across Nigeria, insecurity has continued to undermine investment, disrupt economic activities and erode public confidence, costing the nation billions of naira annually in lost productivity and business opportunities.
In the South-East, the challenge became especially acute with the enforcement of illegal sit-at-home orders by non-state actors.
For several years, the weekly disruption crippled commercial activities, restricted movement, reduced investor confidence and inflicted heavy losses on businesses, especially in major commercial centres.
Enugu State, the historic capital of the old Eastern Region, was not immune to these challenges.
In spite of its strategic location, rich human capital and vast economic potential, the state’s development trajectory was constrained by insecurity, deteriorating infrastructure, acute water shortages and moribund public assets.
Consequently, economic growth remained below expectations, with the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimated at about 4.4 billion dollars.
However, under the administration of Gov. Peter Mbah, Enugu is undergoing what many observers describe as an ambitious and deliberate transformation.
Driven by a bold economic blueprint to expand the state’s economy from 4.4 billion dollars to 30 billion dollars, the administration is rebuilding critical sectors of the economy and positioning Enugu as a leading destination for investment, industrialisation and innovation.
Notably, the administration identified security as the foundation upon which every other development objective must rest.
As the governor repeatedly emphasises, no meaningful economic growth can thrive in an atmosphere of fear and instability.
Recognising this reality upon assumption of office, Mbah made security the cornerstone of his governance agenda.
In what many residents consider a turning point, the administration moved decisively to dismantle the illegal Monday sit-at-home orders that had paralysed economic activities across much of the South-East.
The restoration of normal business operations not only revived commercial activities but also signalled to investors that Enugu was prepared to chart a new course.
To consolidate these gains, the state embarked on a comprehensive overhaul of its security architecture, embracing technology-driven and intelligence-led approaches.
“We are deploying technology to do the heavy lifting in our security apparatus,” Mbah said during an interview with media executives from the Renewed Hope Media Tour in the state.
The Renewed Hope National Media Team was in the state to inspect ongoing Federal Government projects.
The National Media Tour is an initiative of the Gov. Hope Uzodimma-led Renewed Hope Ambassadors, organised in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team.
According to Mbah, the administration invested in a state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre featuring Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled surveillance cameras, facial recognition software and advanced vehicle-tracking systems.
“To provide 24/7 aerial monitoring, the state launched high-tech Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) drones.
“On the ground, security forces have been heavily retrofitted. The administration has procured hundreds of patrol vehicles and specialised motorcycles equipped with AI-embedded cameras designed to navigate difficult terrains.
“Furthermore, the state has domesticated its security response by restructuring the Enugu State Forest Guards into a highly proactive, well-trained strike force.
“By integrating local hunters who possess deep, generational knowledge of the terrain, rural and forested areas are now actively patrolled.
“Financing these capital-intensive security initiatives is seamlessly managed through the revitalised Enugu State Security Trust Fund (ESSTF), ensuring transparent and consistent funding for equipment maintenance and personnel welfare,” Mbah said.
With security receiving sustained attention, the administration subsequently shifted focus to rebuilding critical infrastructure needed to support economic expansion.
Accordingly, a massive road rehabilitation and construction programme is underway, targeting more than 10,000 kilometres of roads across urban and rural communities.
Equally significant is the completion of the long-abandoned International Conference Centre (ICC), a project that had remained unfinished for decades.
The facility is expected to strengthen Enugu’s position as a preferred destination for conferences, tourism and business events.
Similarly, the state’s transport sector is undergoing extensive modernisation, with ultramodern transport terminals under construction at strategic locations, including Holy Ghost and Garriki.
“To promote cleaner energy and reduce transport costs for citizens, these terminals will anchor a newly introduced Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered mass transit system.”
Beyond transportation, the administration has also prioritised access to potable water, a challenge that had persisted for decades in many parts of the state.
To address this, the government expanded water infrastructure through the construction of a 14.5-kilometre high-capacity transmission pipeline.
The project, executed in partnership with the French Government through the French Development Agency (AFD), is expected to supply millions of litres of potable water daily to communities that had not enjoyed regular pipe-borne water for more than two decades.
Meanwhile, the healthcare sector is witnessing significant investment aimed at reducing dependence on medical tourism and improving access to specialised healthcare services.
“Construction is aggressively moving forward on the massive Enugu International Hospital. Designed to be a world-class multi-specialty facility, the hospital aims to attract top medical experts and provide cutting-edge clinical services locally,” he said.
Likewise, the administration views education and skills development as critical pillars of its long-term economic strategy.
According to Mbah, building a 30 billion-dollar economy requires a workforce equipped with 21st-century skills.
To this end, the state has committed a record proportion of its annual budget to education.
“The crown jewel of this academic reform is the rollout of hundreds of ‘Smart Schools’ across the state’s 260 electoral wards.
“These schools are equipped with digital whiteboards, internet access, and modern ICT laboratories, ensuring that rural children have the same educational tools as their urban peers.
“For the adult workforce, the Enugu SME Centre has dramatically scaled up vocational and advanced tech training.
“Through partnerships with global tech academies, thousands of Enugu youths are currently being upskilled in high-demand fields like cybersecurity, digital marketing, and data analytics; effectively transforming Enugu into a talent-exporting hub”.
In addition, the administration is pursuing an aggressive strategy to revive dormant state-owned enterprises and stimulate industrial growth.
For decades, many legacy assets established by previous administrations remained inactive, contributing little to economic development.
Today, however, the government is leveraging public-private partnerships to reactivate these assets.
“Enterprises like Sunrise Flour Mills, Nigergas Company, and United Palm Products Limited (UPPL) are being reactivated to spur immediate job creation, boost domestic production, and trigger massive agricultural value chains”.
Observers note that sustaining such an ambitious transformation agenda requires an efficient public service and a robust revenue base.
Accordingly, the government has introduced sweeping land reforms and digital tax administration systems aimed at blocking fiscal leakages and improving internally generated revenue.
The resulting increase in revenue, according to the administration, has strengthened the state’s capacity to finance critical development projects.
Mbah, however, attributes part of the state’s ability to undertake these reforms to President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, which increased financial allocations to sub-national governments.
“Mr President has given a new lease of life to Nigerian states that have been significantly affected by lack of funds to executed laudable projects after settling personnel expenditures.
“Now we have the funds to deliver dividends of democracy to those that elected us.
“The impact of this singular transformative decision will continue to echo across the country and will definitely shape future growth and welfare of not only Nigeria but its citizens,” Mbah said.
Undoubtedly, the journey from a 4.4 billion-dollar economy to a 30 billion-dollar economy remains a formidable undertaking.
Nevertheless, through a combination of security reforms, infrastructure renewal, human capital development and industrial revitalisation, the Mbah administration appears determined to demonstrate that sustainable development is achievable when security, governance and economic planning work in concert.
If sustained, these initiatives could accelerate Enugu’s transition from the Coal City State into one of Nigeria’s leading industrial and investment destinations. (NANFeatures)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
***If used, credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
