● Chijioke Ogbodo
As the administration of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah marks its second anniversary, the people of Enugu State have reason to reflect on a season of transformation, bold reforms, and visionary leadership. From infrastructure and education to agriculture, security, digital innovation, and energy independence, the Mbah administration has steadily laid the groundwork for a new era of prosperity. True to his campaign mantra – “Tomorrow is Here” – Governor Mbah has shown unwavering commitment to disrupting the status quo and setting Enugu on a path of accelerated growth.
In the area of infrastructure, the administration has embarked on an ambitious rebuilding plan that has seen over 80 roads completed or ongoing across the three senatorial districts. These include key arteries like the dualization of the Enugu Airport Flyover–Thinkers Corner–Orie Emene Road, the New Market–Milliken Hill–Ngwo–9th Mile dual carriageway, and several community access roads linking rural communities to urban markets. Road rehabilitation projects have opened up hitherto isolated communities, boosted rural commerce, and eased movement across the state.
Equally remarkable is the state’s water revolution. For the first time in over two decades, residents of Enugu metropolis are enjoying access to potable water, thanks to the resuscitation of the 9th Mile Water Scheme powered by solar energy. Daily water production from the facility increased from a paltry two million litres to over 70 million litres. The Oji River Water Scheme, long crippled by neglect, has also been revived to supply an additional 50 million litres daily, helping to meet the needs of both urban and peri-urban communities. “We promised our people that they would get water within 180 days. We met a comatose system and still delivered on that promise. This is what leadership entails,” Governor Mbah said during a recent town hall meeting.
In agriculture, the Mbah administration has repositioned Enugu State as a rising hub for agro-industrialisation and food security. A strategic land bank exceeding 100,000 hectares has been secured to support large-scale farming. With partners like Ugwuanama Farms Ltd, the state commenced industrial-scale cultivation of cassava, maize and rice on 15,000 hectares in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area. A tractor assembly plant has also been established in the state, with over 1,000 units already produced to support mechanised farming across the region. In addition, hundreds of youths have been trained in tractor operation and maintenance, equipping them with valuable skills and job opportunities.
To drive food production and agro-processing, the state is developing three integrated farm estates in different zones. These include the Adani Farm Estate in Uzo-Uwani LGA, dedicated to rice and aquaculture; the Owo Farm Estate in Nkanu East LGA, focusing on cassava and high-value vegetables; and the Nenwe Farm Estate in Aninri LGA, designed for poultry, maize, and livestock production. These estates are being developed with modern irrigation systems, internal road networks, power supply, residential quarters for workers, and mini-processing plants. According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Patrick Ubru, “Our goal is to make Enugu the food basket of the South East and a hub for agro-export.”
Underpinning these gains is an impressive turnaround in the state’s revenue profile. Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rose from ₦37.4 billion in 2023 to a projected ₦144.7 billion by the end of 2024. This was driven by comprehensive fiscal reforms, improved tax administration, digital revenue collection, and the removal of bottlenecks for investors. The result is a more resilient economy with growing confidence among business stakeholders.
In a landmark development, Enugu became the first state in Nigeria to fully operationalize the devolution of electricity regulation following the Electricity Act 2023. The passage of the Enugu State Electricity Market Law and the establishment of the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) signaled the birth of an independent electricity market for the state. This is expected to improve power supply, reduce dependence on the national grid, and catalyse industrialisation across the 17 local government areas.
Governor Mbah’s investment in education is equally unprecedented. Allocating 30 percent of the 2024 state budget to education, his government commenced the construction of 260 Smart Schools—one in each electoral ward—equipped with digital classrooms, solar power, robotics laboratories, e-libraries, and multimedia teaching tools. These Smart Schools are also being complemented by Smart School Farms, integrating agribusiness education into the curriculum to build future-ready students.
In the health sector, the administration is building 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state’s 260 wards. These facilities are being fitted with solar-powered systems, modern equipment, and telemedicine capabilities to extend healthcare access to underserved areas.
Perhaps one of the administration’s boldest interventions came in the area of security and civic stability. Governor Mbah made history as the first leader in the South East to decisively tackle the sit-at-home order imposed by non-state actors every Monday. Through community engagement, intelligence-driven policing, and reinforcement of state authority, the administration successfully restored normalcy to Enugu’s streets and businesses. “Our people deserve safety, and our economy cannot thrive in fear. We have restored both order and hope,” the Governor declared during his second anniversary address.
In alignment with his digital economy agenda, the state has rolled out robust youth-focused programmes in technology and innovation. Thousands of young people are being trained in fields such as software development, UI/UX design, data analytics, and hardware engineering. The government is also establishing three technology hubs in Enugu North, Awgu, and Nsukka zones, in a bid to make the state a South-East tech corridor.
In terms of governance and institutional reforms, Governor Mbah’s administration has enacted over 15 reform-driven laws in just 24 months. These include the establishment of the Enugu State Geographic Information Service (ENGIS) and the Enugu State Investment Development Authority, both designed to ease land titling and accelerate business registration and approvals. These institutions are also helping to remove bureaucratic red tape and promote transparency in governance.
The Governor’s reformist drive has not gone unnoticed. He was recently named Governor of the Year 2024 by Leadership Newspaper in recognition of his performance. The Enugu State House of Assembly and the State Caucus in the House of Representatives have also commended the quality of reforms under his leadership. Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, a federal lawmaker from Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency, remarked that “Governor Mbah is redefining governance in the South East with verifiable results.”
As the administration enters its third year, the Governor has pledged to consolidate on current gains and continue his push toward transforming Enugu into a $30 billion economy. In his words: “Tomorrow is Here is not a slogan – it is a mandate to act. We are building that future now.”
Ogbodo is Managing Partner at GMTNewsng.com. He writes from Enugu.
