NACCIMA hails Mbah on security, seeks partnership to drive $30bn economy

Engr. Jani Ibrahim, President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), has applauded Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, for his administration’s focus on security and fostering a conducive environment for businesses to flourish. Ibrahim led a NACCIMA delegation to Governor Mbah at the Government House in Enugu, emphasizing that security is a prerequisite for economic growth and that NACCIMA's STEAMS agenda—Security, Technology, Education, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Solid Minerals—highlights this priority.

The NACCIMA head expressed readiness to collaborate with Mbah in growing Enugu State’s economy from $4.4 billion in 2023 to $30 billion by 2031, proposing joint trade fairs, investment summits, enhanced land allocation, public-private partnerships for industrial parks, and robust state-government cooperation. He disclosed that NACCIMA is working with German partners to secure affordable capital for industrialists and manufacturers, offering up to $10 million over seven-and-a-half years at low interest rates.

Moreover, Ibrahim suggested promoting Nsukka yellow pepper as an export product and developing the Renewed Hope NACCIMA Village in Enugu, which the governor is encouraged to champion. Responding, Mbah affirmed that his administration views NACCIMA as the "voice of the Nigerian business community," with the government's strategy centered on private capital, supplemented by de-risking investments where necessary.

His administration has taken steps to boost economic expansion through infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, transportation, and security improvements, which have bolstered private capital inflow and attracted investments like United Palm Products, Sunrise Flour Mill, Nigergas Limited, Hotel Presidential, and Landmark Nike Lake Resort.

The governor highlighted efforts to attract manufacturing investments, such as the Enugu Haier Factory and a tractor assembly plant, offering guarantees and purchase commitments to promote local production. Additionally, Mbah detailed plans to attract three million annual tourists, launch Enugu Air, and develop tourism attractions like a 400-meter zip line, cable car infrastructure, ancient iron-smelting sites, and Nsude pyramids.

The government is concurrently investing in education and healthcare, including the Smart Schools initiative, Enugu International Hospital for medical tourism, and other developmental projects to create conditions for sustained private-sector investment and achieve Enugu's long-term economic and development goals.