Yuqing described Enugu State as a rising hub of “vitality, livability, and opportunity” with strong prospects for deeper China-Nigeria economic cooperation.

The envoy gave the commendation at Government House, Enugu, where she led a delegation of top executives from leading Chinese companies to a high-level meeting with Mbah.

She said the visit underscored growing bilateral engagement between Nigerian and China, which also spotlighted Enugu’s evolving status as a preferred destination for foreign direct investment, FDI.

The Chinese envoy particularly praised Mbah’s strategic focus on infrastructure, technology, and human capital development, noting that the administration’s blueprint aligns with global best practices and emerging investment trends.

“The governor’s vision for Enugu is both inspiring and practical. His commitment to infrastructure, technology, and human capital development provides a solid foundation for sustainable growth. We are confident that Enugu will become a major destination for Chinese investors.”

This was even as she stated that initial doubts as to possibility of a direct flight from Enugu to China had been cleared, having seen Mbah’s bold vision and efforts in positioning Enugu as an economic and aviation hub.

“So, at that time I thought, a straight flight to China, is it possible? But now, especially after our discussion, I think that it is not a dream. It’s a reality. And maybe in the near future, we can realise it,” she said.

According to the Consul General, the relationship between China and Nigeria has continued to strengthen, especially following the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2024, expressing optimism that Enugu would play a significant role in advancing this cooperation.

She also highlighted the presence of major Chinese corporations in Nigeria and indicated China’s willingness to expand collaboration in key sectors including infrastructure, digital economy, vocational education, and cultural exchange.

Yuqing further revealed that discussions were ongoing regarding possible sister-city agreements between Enugu and select Chinese cities, a development expected to foster closer economic and cultural integration.

She expressed delights at the cleanliness of Enugu city, describing it as quite livable.

Addressing the delegation, Mbah reaffirmed that Enugu remains open and ready for international partnerships, particularly with Chinese investors and airlines.

He emphasised that the state had deliberately created a safe, clean, and business-friendly environment capable of supporting large-scale investments.

“We are open to partnerships with Chinese airlines and investors. Enugu is safe, clean, and business-friendly,” the governor said, adding that ongoing reforms were designed to ensure ease of doing business and long-term returns for investors.

He further disclosed that plans were already underway to establish direct international flight routes between Enugu and major Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, as part of broader efforts to deepen trade and economic exchanges.

“With the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and our plan to build a modern cargo terminal, direct flights from Enugu to China are possible within a shorter time. This will significantly enhance trade, logistics, and investment flows,” Mbah stated.

The governor described the New Enugu Smart City as a flagship initiative aimed at redefining urban living and investment standards in Nigeria.

According to him, the project would feature world-class infrastructure, including underground electricity systems, central sewage networks, fiber-optic connectivity, piped water, and gas pipelines.

In a move to further strengthen cultural and economic ties, Mbah proposed the establishment of a Chinatown District in Enugu, assuring the Chinese delegation of government support, including land allocation and policy backing.

“We expect major Chinese companies to site their headquarters here and operate from Enugu. Our relationship with China is warm and expanding, and we want to deepen it through concrete investments,” he said.

The governor also highlighted ongoing collaboration between Chinese firms and the Nigerian government, particularly the role of CCCC in the construction of Enugu Smart City and the CCECC in rail infrastructure development.

Beyond infrastructure, Mbah pointed to successful industrial partnerships already taking root in the state, citing the example of the Haier Group, which partnered with the Enugu State Government to establish manufacturing facility in Enugufor   producing digital devices, solar equipment, and household appliances.

According to him, the partnership goes beyond production to include technology transfer and workforce development, with local technicians being trained to take over operations in the near future.

He assured investors of the government’s readiness to continue to de-risk investments and provide the necessary support to ensure profitability and growth.

The post Chinese Envoy Hails Peter Mbah’s Investment Drive appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

At the 2025 Enugu Gaming Conference, held at the International Conference Centre, the Governor’s address, Dr Peter Mbah, delivered by the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Dr Nathaniel Urama, noted the state’s strategic pivot towards gaming as a tool for economic growth.

“This administration is working to reclaim Enugu not only as a government of substance but as an investment hub within Africa,” the Governor said in his welcome address.

Themed “From Unification to Diversification: Shaping Nigeria’s Gaming Future,” the conference brought together stakeholders, tech innovators, regulators, and investors from across the continent.

According to the Governor, “We are living in a time where the future of gaming will be determined by how well we harmonise innovation, regulation, expansion, responsibility and investment.”

Enugu’s leadership is backing words with action, and over the past year, the state has rolled out a range of initiatives that go beyond token regulation.

At the heart of these measures is an automated licensing and operator registration portal, a secure digital platform that allows real-time tracking and evaluation of gaming operators.

“This innovation drastically reduces manual interference, minimises the risk of fraud, and ensures compliance with our gaming norms,” the Governor stated.

Equally important is the deployment of a Central Monitoring System (CMS) for virtual and retail gaming activities. This system allows the state to monitor gaming transactions in real time, aiming to improve transparency in revenue declarations and tax compliance; an area notoriously murky in the Nigerian gaming sector.

But the state’s vision is not limited to digital as Enugu is also taking a firm stance on ethics.

“In Enugu State, our administration fully recognises the growing influence of the gaming and lottery industry as a driver of job creation, digital innovation…

“But even more importantly, we understand the need for a regulatory environment that is transparent, secure and investment-friendly, one that supports legitimate operators while protecting the interests of players and the broader society.”

In a particularly interesting move, the government recently launched a public awareness campaign to tackle underage gambling, aligning its digital reforms with a human-centred policy approach.

“This initiative speaks directly to our commitment to social responsibility and public welfare, ensuring that the economic benefits of gaming do not come at the cost of the next generation,” the Governor said.

To better achieve its goals, the state plans to deploy a GPS-based operator mapping and audit system. This tool will allow the commission to geo-locate all gaming outlets in the state and analyse operator data to detect illegal operations and enforce compliance in a smarter way.

“These initiatives are not isolated, as they are aligned with our broader agenda of digitally driven governance, ease of doing business, and a modernised economy where transparency, accountability and efficiency are the norm,” the address stated.

While many Nigerian states are wrestling with the implications of the Supreme Court ruling that granted them power to regulate gaming activities within their jurisdictions, Enugu is already racing ahead, readying itself with digital infrastructure, legislative tools, and a public service mindset.

“Enugu State is open for business, and we are building a regulatory framework that invites innovation while preserving integrity,” the Governor said.

The post Enugu Pushes for Gaming Sector Leadership with Regulatory Overhaul, Tech Innovations, and Social Responsibility Drive appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Entitled the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (Establishment and Consolidation of Revenue Administration) Law, 2025, the new legislation also makes the revenue collection agency autonomous and free of bureaucratic encumbrances.

Speaking at the short bill signing ceremony at Government House, Enugu, on Tuesday, Mbah described the law as a milestone in his administration’s quest to enable the Ease of Doing business and make the state the premier destination for investment.

“I recall several times that I have engaged the business community, the organised private sector, and the market women. They have always complained about multiple taxation. People coming from everywhere with different types of government receipts to ask them to pay tax. That will end from today.

“With the signing of this bill into law, we now have one revenue collection point, whether for the market women, the organised private sector, and the different agencies of government. You would have one clear point where to pay your tax and you will be issued with the appropriate receipt of payment. That means you no longer have any other person coming for the collection of tax.

“It is very important because one of the core indicators of the Ease of Doing Business is to make sure that you have the ease of payment of your taxes and you do not have multiple channels where you are being dragged to pay taxes.”

According to the governor, the new law would effectively consolidate the revenues of the state and local governments, with each tier of government getting what is due to it at the end of the day such as is obtainable in land charges and Value Added Tax, VAT.

“The idea is that you have one point of collection, but the split is also done to the different tiers of government that this revenue is essentially due to.

“It is also important that we make this point very clear that this idea of the State Internal Revenue Service collecting on behalf of the other tiers of government is nothing new. As some of you already know, the Land Use Charge is paid to the local government, but collected by the state. So, what we are doing now is essentially consolidate all the other revenue types to ensure that there is one point of collection. So, this is a major milestone and it would also help us have a full line of sight to all the revenues we have in the state,” he stated.

He further explained that the Enugu State Inland Revenue Service would henceforth become autonomous.

“The Enugu State Inland Revenue Service is now able to act as an autonomous institution of the state government. It also means that they can now set targets and try to meet those targets the same way you run a business. It means that they now have the powers to hire and fire their employees. So, we are increasingly making the Revenue Service a professional body,” he added.

Mbah took the opportunity to explain that contrary to some misinformation, the massive rise in the state’s IGR was inspired by widening the tax net, plugging revenue leakages, and deployment of technology, rather than increasing tax rate.

“Let me be clear, we have not increased any tax in Enugu State. What we have essentially done and which is impacting our revenue growth is expansion of the tax net. We have also made sure that monies that were collected in cash before now are now adequately captured and paid into the state coffers,” Mbah said.

He commended the Enugu State House of Assembly for their support every step of the way, noting with gratitude the expeditiousness with which they treat executive bills.

Earlier in his remark, the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Uchenna Ugwu, described the bill as a turning point in revenue collection in the state.

“One, it is going to improve the Ease of Doing Business. It is also going to improve the IGR of the state and also block all the loopholes in revenue collection and administration. It is a very good gift to the people of Enugu State,” he said.

The post Enugu Ends Multiple Taxation, as Mbah Signs Bill into Law appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This agreement, finalised at the Government House in Enugu, aims to address the city’s water distribution challenges.

Austrian Ambassador to Nigeria, Thomas Schlesinger, was present during the signing. He reiterated the goal to implement the Sustainable Last Mile Connectivity and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Project. 

The agreement seeks to enhance service delivery, expand water access to underserved areas, and ensure equitable distribution of clean water to residents of Enugu City.

Governor Peter Mbah described the agreement as a turning point for water infrastructure in the state, noting that it stresses the growing support for Enugu as a prime investment destination. “We now have an investment of $100 million to deal decisively with the last mile connection, the downstream part of our water system.

“This huge sum shows that the economic reforms of the Federal Government and our effort to position Enugu as the premier destination for investment are yielding results because this is a major FDI, not just for us as a state, but even as a country,” he stated.

Governor Mbah noted the progress made in water production, which has increased from a sporadic 2 million litres to 120 million litres per day. However, he noted that the primary challenge remains the expansion of the pipeline network to connect more households. 

The newly secured funding is expected to address this bottleneck by focusing on last-mile connectivity and the procurement of advanced metering systems.

“For the record, this is not a case where we are just signing an agreement that is exploratory. This is an agreement we signed today for the funds to begin to flow. This is a discussion that started eight months ago.

“From signing an MoU to Terms Sheet, to getting a Concession Agreement, today we are signing the final agreement and we expect that the investment funds will start to flow immediately, as they should have started with the connectivity to the last mile, and the procurement of the metres will commence,” Mbah assured.

Ambassador Schlesinger commended Governor Mbah for promoting international partnerships and prioritising sustainable development. “I wish to laud His Excellency Dr Peter Mbah for his vision to transform the water management systems for Enugu City, with its ultimate goal of ensuring equitable access to clean water.

“Governor Mbah is a great friend of Austria. He has visited Vienna twice, where he met with ministers, international organisations and the business community; and he is a very active supporter of Austrian companies in Enugu.

“This investment, therefore, is a testimony of his excellent work and his vision for Enugu State,” he said.

He also lauded the leadership of Dr Ugochukwu Ugbor, Chairman of Wande Nexus, who has extensive experience in addressing sustainability and infrastructure challenges globally. Schlesinger asserted the project’s success, given the combination of visionary governance and skilled project leadership.

Dr Ugbor, representing Wande Nexus, spoke on the favourable investment climate under Governor Mbah’s administration as a key factor in securing the partnership. 

He pledged the company’s focus on delivering on its objectives, which include creating 500 direct jobs, developing local expertise in modern water management, and improving public health and economic opportunities in the state.

The state government’s plans also include increasing daily water production to 200 million litres by 2025, supported by budgetary allocations to enhance upstream water systems. 

With the infusion of FDI and local investment, Enugu aims to build a sustainable and efficient water distribution network, positioning itself as a model for infrastructure development in Nigeria.

The post Enugu Secures $100m Partnership with Austrian Firm to Upgrade Water Infrastructure appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The governor gave this assurance, weekend, while delivering a keynote address at the Tech and Entrepreneurship (TxE) Summit in Enugu.

He disclosed that his administration had already commenced the training of youths on digital innovation, programming, digital marketing, financial technology, entrepreneurship, among other requisite technological, financial, and business skills. 

Speaking on the theme of the summit, “Innovation Unleashed: Transforming Enugu’s Future”, Mbah said the strategic role of his government in enabling better and viable future for the youths in the state was to provide an environment full of opportunities for them to thrive. 

He stressed that measures were being put in place to ignite the young ones to unleash their creative energy by embracing the emerging future of robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, innovation through skills in information and technology.

The governor, who observed that the global order was rapidly moving away from analogue and anachronistic ways of doing things to modern ways enabled by technology, charged the youths to seize the opportunity the TeX summit had afforded them to attune themselves to the new order to remain relevant and economically self-reliant in an increasingly competitive global environment.

“We are talking about robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, among other emerging skills today. These are perhaps skills that would keep you relevant in today’s world. Ours in Enugu State is to provide you with the right environment, the support and the skills,” he added.

While drawing the synergy between technology and entrepreneurship, the governor enjoined the youths to think creatively and come up with ideas of what to do to add value to the market by repositioning themselves to address some of the societal needs in order to create wealth.

According to him, with the right training and skills, which his government was determined to facilitate by partnering with different tech industries and stakeholders, the youths could create their own greener pasture in Nigeria without having to travel overseas.

“My objective here is to get you to begin to think digitally, to understand that the emerging future is the one that requires you to acquire a digital skill to thrive. And with those digital skills, you do not need to contemplate leaving this country. I know you might think that the pastures are greener in Europe and the America’s but that is not true. Anybody that told you that has perhaps lied to you. The innovation landscape here is not barren at all.

“With your innovation here, you are able to create a greener pasture right here on our soil than any other place in the world.  See this event as a serious business where you have come to acquire a skill; a skill of a lifetime. A skill that will enable you to conquer the world right here in Enugu State,” the governor said. 

Speaking earlier, the founder of TxE Africa, Williams Uche-Mbah, said this year’s event represented the huge potential and promise that Enugu holds for the youths in the fields of technology and entrepreneurship.

He noted that the summit was conceived to ignite innovation, foster collaboration and empower the local entrepreneurial community of youths in the state to unleash a new wave of technological innovation, economic growth and a platform for the global market. 

Uchembah further maintained that youths embracing the right tech skills would escape from the scourge of unemployment and poverty, which was the aim of the summit. 

“The objective of this summit is to create a platform to groom our youth in much-needed digital and entrepreneurial skills to first decongest the rate of unemployment in Nigeria, and position you for global relevance. Our vision is to reach and empower one million people across Nigeria before the year 2027, and if you wonder how possible this is, look around you,” he stressed.

The post Gov Mbah: Enugu to Equip 40,000 Youths with Digital, Entrepreneurial Skills Annually appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.