ENUGU | Wednesday, February 4, 2026
From L-R: Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe MD Enugu Marketing Company, Hon. John Ogbodo Chairman of Nkanu West, and Alhaji Sani Nnaji consultant on Farm Estates, inspecting Amurri Farm Estate in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Tuesday.
Enugu Farm Estates moved into focus as top Enugu State officials paid a working visit to the Amurri Farm Estate in Nkanu West Local Government Area, where work is progressing under a state-wide agricultural programme aimed at massive job creation, food security enhancement, and agro-industrial growth.
The inspection team comprised the Executive Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Council, Hon. John Chukwuma Ogbodo; the Consultant to Enugu State on Farm Estates, Alhaji Sani Friday Nnaji; and the Managing Director of Enugu Marketing Company, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, who also serves as Special Adviser to the Enugu State Governor on Agriculture.
Speaking during the visit, Hon. Ogbodo described the Amurri Farm Estate as a deliberate grassroots-focused intervention aligned with Governor Peter Mbah’s development agenda. “This project goes beyond farming. It is about creating sustainable livelihoods, empowering our people, and ensuring that development is felt directly at the community level,” Ogbodo said.
“Enugu State officials inspect Amurri Farm Estate in Nkanu West as the Enugu Farm Estates programme targets 208,000 jobs, and food security.”
The council chairman added that Nkanu West would continue to provide institutional support to ensure the success of the estate, noting that agriculture offers a practical pathway for engaging youths productively and discouraging rural–urban migration. According to him, projects like the Amurri Farm Estate help keep economic opportunities within rural communities.
On the broader policy framework, Engr. Ogbuekwe said the Enugu Farm Estates programme is structured to deliver large-scale employment and food sufficiency across the state. “Our target is to create 52,000 agro-based direct employment and 156,000 indirect jobs across Enugu State’s 260 wards. That is about 208,000 jobs cutting across farming, processing, logistics, and marketing,” the Special Adviser explained.
Ogbuekwe further noted that strengthening local food production is central to economic stability. “When we grow what we eat, we reduce pressure on supply chains, improve food availability, and protect our economy from external shocks,” he said, adding that the programme would significantly reduce youth unemployment.
Also speaking, the consultant on Enugu farm estates, Alhaji Sani Friday Nnaji, emphasized the programme’s industrial focus, explaining that agriculture must feed manufacturing and processing industries. “Cassava, for instance, should not be limited to garri or fufu. With proper pre-refining and preservation, it becomes a raw material for multiple industries,” Nnaji stated.
The officials agreed that the Enugu Farm Estates initiative represents a long-term strategy to reposition agriculture as a driver of job creation, food security, and industrial growth. They expressed confidence that the Amurri Farm Estate would serve as a model for sustainable agricultural development in Enugu State.
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