The first Enugu State Investment and Economic Growth Stakeholders Roundtable is slated for September 1 and is part of the Enugu State Government’s strategy to promote business, industry, and trade in the state.
According to The Punch, the state’s governor, Peter Mbah, will present a $2.1 billion project pipeline to domestic and foreign investors.
Mbah informed the local and international investment community of a wealth of investment opportunities in the state when speaking to envoys from India, China, Mexico, and other countries at the International Investment Conference, which was held in Lagos.
He emphasized that the state was quickly reducing investment risk and improving the ease of doing business.
Mbah said his administration was focused on a paradigm shift from the conventional model of relying on allocations from the Federation Account, as the state’s future and new growth plan rested on leveraging its abundant human and material resources. Mbah highlighted the state’s investment opportunities at the conference.
“Enugu is open for business now,” he declared. To make sure the atmosphere is favourable for business, we are significantly reviewing our “ease of doing business”.
“For instance, the issue of a Certificate of Occupancy in no more than three days or 72 hours will be made possible by our new land title processes.
“Processes for obtaining building approvals will also be reviewed and significantly streamlined to increase efficiency.”
He added: “To maintain openness in all interactions with the government and to enable self-service by the public with little to no need for face-to-face interactions with public employees, we are automating all of our key government procedures.”
He claimed that the state is prepared to reduce the risk associated with business investment in important industries by, among other things, granting access to land, supporting infrastructure, and managing engagement with host communities.
Mbah stated that the state was in a position to utilize comparative advantage in several important areas of agriculture by making another 300,000 hectares of farmland available for the raising of priority crops and raising of livestock.
He declared that the state would focus on producing cashews, soybeans, oil palm, cassava, and other crops.