The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has commended Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, for his administration’s efforts to improve security and create a business-friendly environment across the state.
NACCIMA President, Engr. Jani Ibrahim, gave the commendation on Friday when he led a delegation of the association on a courtesy visit to Governor Mbah at the Government House in Enugu.
Ibrahim said improved security remained critical to economic development and private-sector investment.
He noted that NACCIMA’s STEAMS agenda places security at the forefront of its priorities. The agenda covers Security, Technology, Education, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Solid Minerals.
According to him, businesses cannot operate effectively without a stable and secure environment.
“We want to congratulate you because security is the number one item. Without security, there is nothing else we can do,” Ibrahim said.
His remarks come as the Enugu State Government continues to promote its ambition of expanding the state’s economy from an estimated $4.4 billion in 2023 to $30 billion by 2031.
The NACCIMA delegation also expressed its readiness to work with the state government and other stakeholders to attract more investment into Enugu.
The development adds to a series of economic initiatives in the state. Peter Mbah recently unveiled more than 10,000 achievements while restating his $30bn economic target for Enugu.
NACCIMA Seeks Stronger Government-Private Sector Partnership
Ibrahim called for stronger collaboration between the Enugu State Government and the organised private sector.
He proposed joint trade fairs and investment summits that could connect businesses with investors and create new commercial opportunities.
The NACCIMA president also called for improvements in land-allocation processes to make it easier for businesses to establish operations in the state.
He proposed public-private partnerships for industrial parks and closer cooperation between the government and chambers of commerce.
According to Ibrahim, stronger cooperation would help businesses identify investment opportunities while allowing the government to understand the challenges facing the private sector.
NACCIMA’s position places private investment at the centre of efforts to expand economic activity in Enugu.
The association’s interest in Enugu also comes amid wider efforts to strengthen the state’s business environment.
For instance, the Igbo-Eze South chairman recently praised the Mbah administration’s grassroots development through the CSDA.
NACCIMA Offers Access to Industrial Financing
The NACCIMA president also disclosed plans to help Nigerian industrialists and manufacturers access affordable capital.
According to Ibrahim, the association was working with partners in Frankfurt, Germany, to facilitate financing for businesses.
He said the proposed arrangement could provide up to $10 million in financing for seven-and-a-half years at single-digit interest rates.
The initiative could provide another financing option for businesses seeking to expand their operations or invest in new production capacity.
Ibrahim said NACCIMA was prepared to help connect businesses with the necessary financial support.
Access to affordable capital remains an important concern for manufacturers and other businesses seeking to expand production.
The proposed financing initiative therefore formed part of the broader discussion on how government and the private sector can work together to stimulate economic growth.
Nsukka Yellow Pepper Identified for Export
Ibrahim also expressed interest in promoting Nsukka yellow pepper as an export commodity.
He said the product had the potential to create new opportunities for farmers and businesses in the state.
The NACCIMA president linked the proposal to the association’s interest in strengthening rural enterprises and expanding Nigeria’s export base.
He also expressed interest in establishing the proposed Renewed Hope NACCIMA Village in Enugu.
According to Ibrahim, Enugu is among six states being considered for the project.
He urged Governor Mbah to champion the initiative if it comes to the state.
The project, he said, could promote rural businesses and create economic opportunities outside major urban centres.
Ibrahim also said the initiative could help reduce rural-to-urban migration by creating employment and commercial opportunities within rural communities.
The proposal aligns with wider efforts to expand economic activity beyond Enugu metropolis.
Mbah Describes NACCIMA as Voice of Business Community
Responding to the delegation, Governor Mbah described NACCIMA as “the voice of the Nigerian business community.”
The governor said his administration’s economic strategy was anchored on private capital.
According to Mbah, the government’s role is to create an enabling environment while helping to reduce investment risks where necessary.
He said government could provide the infrastructure, policies and guarantees needed to encourage private investors to commit capital to the state.
Mbah reiterated his administration’s target of growing Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within four to eight years.
The governor said the target would require investment across several sectors.
These include infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, transportation, manufacturing and security.
The government has previously highlighted infrastructure development as a major component of its economic strategy. An earlier report detailed the administration’s development projects and its plan to transform Enugu’s economy.
Mbah Highlights Security Measures
Mbah said his administration had tackled insecurity “frontally” since assuming office.
He also said the government ended the sit-at-home order within three months of taking office.
According to the governor, the state subsequently established a Safe City Surveillance System.
The system includes a Command and Control Centre designed to support security monitoring and emergency response.
Mbah also highlighted the Distress Response Squad established by the administration.
The vehicles used by the squad, he said, are fitted with AI-enabled surveillance cameras.
The governor said these measures had contributed to an improved security environment in Enugu.
The issue of security remains important to businesses because investors require a stable environment before committing significant capital.
This was also the key point highlighted by the NACCIMA president during the delegation’s visit.
The governor’s comments come amid other security-related developments across the South-East. An Enugu lawmaker recently called for safer measures after a drowning incident at Coal Camp.
Improved Security Attracts Investments
Mbah linked the improved security environment to the state’s ability to attract private investment.
He cited investments and partnerships involving United Palm Products, Sunrise Flour Mill and Nigergas Limited.
The governor also mentioned Hotel Presidential and Landmark Nike Lake Resort among businesses and projects connected with investment activity in the state.
According to Mbah, a secure environment gives investors greater confidence to establish and expand businesses.
He said the administration’s strategy was therefore focused on creating conditions that would support sustained private-sector participation.
The governor’s administration has continued to highlight investment as a major part of its economic development strategy.
This approach also involves government intervention where necessary to reduce risks for private investors.
Enugu Expands Manufacturing Investment
The governor also highlighted efforts to attract more investment into manufacturing.
He cited the Enugu Haier Factory as one of the projects being developed as part of the state’s industrialisation plans.
A tractor assembly plant was also mentioned among the manufacturing investments being pursued.
Mbah said the government had provided guarantees and purchase commitments to help de-risk some of these investments.
The objective, according to the governor, is to encourage local production while creating employment opportunities.
The strategy reflects the administration’s emphasis on using public resources to attract larger volumes of private capital.
The manufacturing sector could also support other parts of the state’s economy through supply chains involving farmers, transporters, suppliers and service providers.
The NACCIMA delegation’s interest in industrial financing could therefore complement Enugu’s efforts to expand its manufacturing base.
Enugu Targets Three Million Tourists Annually
Mbah also discussed the administration’s tourism and transportation plans.
He said Enugu was targeting three million visitors annually.
According to the governor, the state has launched Enugu Air as part of efforts to improve connectivity.
The administration is also working with the Federal Government and private-sector partners to operationalise the international wing of Akanu Ibiam International Airport.
Improved air connectivity, the governor said, would support tourism and business activities.
Enugu is also developing several tourism attractions.
These include a 400-metre zip line, cable car infrastructure and the Cross of Hope at Awhum.
The ancient iron-smelting site at Lejja and the Nsude pyramids are also part of the tourism projects highlighted by the governor.
The projects are expected to broaden the state’s tourism offering and attract visitors from Nigeria and abroad.
Tourism could also create opportunities for hotels, restaurants, transport operators, artisans and other small businesses.
Government Highlights Education Investment
The governor said his administration was also investing heavily in education.
He cited the Smart Schools initiative, which includes more than 7,000 classrooms.
According to Mbah, investment in education is part of the broader strategy for developing the state’s human capital.
The governor said the administration’s economic ambitions cannot be separated from improvements in the quality of life of residents.
Education therefore forms part of the wider development strategy alongside infrastructure, healthcare and security.
The government has continued to present its development programme as a combination of physical infrastructure and social investment.
The approach is intended to create the workforce required to support future economic growth.
Enugu International Hospital Targets Medical Tourism
Healthcare also featured in the governor’s presentation.
Mbah said the Enugu International Hospital was designed to help position the state within Nigeria’s growing medical tourism sector.
He said the project could enable Enugu to capture part of the market currently served by medical facilities outside the country.
The development is part of the administration’s wider healthcare strategy.
Improved healthcare infrastructure can also support economic activity by reducing the burden of preventable health challenges and attracting professionals and visitors.
The governor said the different projects being implemented across sectors were connected to the state’s long-term economic objectives.
NACCIMA and Mbah Focus on Investment
The meeting between NACCIMA and Governor Mbah focused largely on how government and businesses can cooperate to expand economic opportunities in Enugu.
For NACCIMA, security remains the foundation for investment.
The association also identified access to finance, industrial parks, land allocation and trade promotion as areas where collaboration could produce results.
Ibrahim’s proposal to promote Nsukka yellow pepper also introduced agriculture and exports into the discussion.
The proposed NACCIMA Village could further create opportunities for rural businesses if the project is eventually established in the state.
For the Enugu Government, private capital remains central to achieving its $30 billion economic ambition.
Mbah said government would continue to focus on creating an environment where investors can operate while reducing risks where necessary.
NACCIMA Hails Mbah on Security and Economic Plans
The visit ended with both sides expressing interest in deeper cooperation.
NACCIMA’s commendation of the administration’s security efforts was accompanied by proposals aimed at increasing private-sector participation in Enugu.
The association wants stronger collaboration in trade, investment, manufacturing, agriculture and rural enterprise development.
Mbah, meanwhile, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to infrastructure, security and other sectors needed to support economic expansion.
The governor’s economic target remains to grow Enugu’s estimated $4.4 billion economy to $30 billion by 2031.
Whether that target is achieved will depend on the scale of investment, infrastructure development, business activity and other economic factors over the coming years.
The latest meeting nevertheless provides another indication of the administration’s focus on attracting private-sector investment.
It also signals NACCIMA’s interest in working with the state on projects that could expand commercial activity.
The two sides are now expected to explore areas of cooperation around investment, industrial development, agriculture, tourism and rural enterprises.
