The Enugu State Government has taken a bold step toward reshaping transportation in the state, setting aside ₦10 billion as its equity contribution for the first phase of a 135.5km standard gauge railway line, a project officials describe as both transformational and overdue.
The announcement came on Thursday inside the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Enugu, where Mr. Chris-Roberts Ozongwu, the commissioner for Budget and Planning, addressed journalists.
With the calm confidence of someone unveiling a crucial piece of Enugu’s future, he explained that the allocation is embedded in the state’s ambitious 2026 budget.
Just days earlier, on December 2, Governor Peter Mbah had walked into the Enugu State House of Assembly to present what many have called a historic financial roadmap, a ₦1.62 trillion budget, aptly titled the “Budget of Renewed Momentum.”
That budget has since become the talk of the South East. Not only is it the largest ever proposed in the region, it represents a 66.5% jump from the revised ₦971 billion 2025 budget. It also signals a clear priority shift: ₦1.3 trillion, or 80%, is dedicated to capital expenditure, roads, schools, infrastructure, innovation, while ₦321.2 billion goes to recurrent spending.
At the press briefing, Ozongwu underscored that the investment in the new railway is more than a line item; it is a statement of intent.
Enugu, he said, is preparing for a future where the ease of moving people, goods, and opportunities becomes a catalyst for prosperity.
And with the state committing its own resources to the rail project, the stage is set for what could become one of the most significant infrastructure transformations in Enugu’s recent history.
Breaking it down to journalists, Ozongwu said the rail project was in keeping with Governor Mbah’s campaign promise to evolve a multimodal transport system incorporating rail, tram and inland water services to complement existing road transportation in the state.
The rail project is also designed to terminate at doorsteps of the neighbouring states for easy continuation to enhance connectivity, especially among the South East States.
In the same vein, the government also plans to add additional 14 aircraft to increase the fleet of the state-owned airline, Enugu Air, to 20 planes by the end of 2025.
He explained that Enugu Air, which launched in July 2025 with three aircraft, had been quite lucrative, noting that the government had concluded plans to add three planes to the airline’s current fleet to bring it to six before the end of the year.
Other planned key expenditures in the transport in the coming year include a ₦10bn equity contribution to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport concession in line with Governor Mbah’s vision to make Enugu a West African regional aviation and logistics hub.
Ozongwu added that the government had also earmarked another ₦10bn for vehicle manufacturing programme that would see the state procure and have assembled in Enugu a total of 2,100 taxis for the administration’s youth empowerment scheme and the Distress Response Squad, DRS, the state’s special police unit.
He said the government was confident that the 2026 budget would outperform the 2025 budget, adding that Mbah runs the state with a private sector mentality.
He added that the allocation of 51.1 per cent and 40.1 per cent of the total budget to the economic sector and social sector, respectively, underscored the administration’s commitment to private sector-driven economic growth and human development.
“Human life is one of improvements. We achieved about 85 per cent of our performance and it is almost likely that we will continue in that same trajectory to move this state to 90 per cent performance.
“We have the indices to do that. We have the personnel, the acumen and ready to raise the money to do that. Expect better performance next year.
“So, something is going on in this state. It is a feel-good factor. Come to Enugu and invest because your investment is going to be protected, your returns are going to be wonderful. Join us and be part of this success story,” he said.
