Peter Mbah Enugu reform agenda highlights infrastructure, smart schools, airport expansion and security-driven economic transformation in Enugu State

Enugu State Governor Dr. Peter Mbah has reaffirmed his administration’s sweeping reform drive, detailing an ambitious development agenda spanning infrastructure, education, security, healthcare and economic transformation during an interactive session in Enugu with the Renewed Hope Media team.

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Governor Mbah said the Peter Mbah Enugu reform agenda is anchored on a long-term blueprint designed to reposition the state as a major investment and tourism hub, crediting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s federal economic reforms for enabling subnational governments to pursue larger developmental goals.

He described his administration’s approach as a deliberate strategy of “disruptive innovation” aimed at accelerating economic growth from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within eight years, while also targeting the eradication of poverty and repositioning Enugu as a leading destination for business, tourism and living.

“We realised that we needed to do things differently. This is going to be an era of constant disruptive innovation,” Governor Mbah said. “Growth is going to be government-enabled but private sector driven.”

A central pillar of the Peter Mbah Enugu reform agenda is the expansion of healthcare infrastructure, including a new international hospital designed to tap into Nigeria’s medical tourism market.

Governor Mbah said the facility would provide advanced diagnostic and treatment services, including oncology care and imaging technology, positioning Enugu to capture a share of a multi-billion-dollar regional healthcare sector.

He also highlighted security reforms as critical to sustaining investor confidence, noting that the administration invested heavily in surveillance technology and intelligence-driven policing to eliminate the disruptive sit-at-home directives that previously affected economic activity in the South-East.

“Security is a core ingredient of development. Without security, development will not happen,” he said, adding that the state’s Command and Control Centre now provides real-time monitoring across key entry points and operational zones.

The governor further revealed that over 267 smart schools have been built under the education component of the Peter Mbah Enugu reform agenda, alongside more than 7,000 classrooms.

These institutions are equipped with robotics, artificial intelligence tools, ICT laboratories and 3D printing facilities.

He said the reforms were not limited to infrastructure, but also included a shift in teaching methodology towards experiential learning. “We moved away from rote learning to experiential learning, teaching by practice so that children become problem solvers,” he said.

In the transport and tourism sector, Governor Mbah outlined ongoing reforms around Akanu Ibiam International Airport and the introduction of state-supported airline operations aimed at boosting visitor inflow.

He said the state is targeting up to three million annual visitors through expanded flight connectivity and major tourism infrastructure projects.

Among these projects are a 300-metre zipline, a 5.6-kilometre cable car system and religious tourism sites designed to strengthen Enugu’s appeal as a regional destination.

He credited President Tinubu for supporting key concessions, including reforms around airport operations, which he described as a milestone for the South-East.

Governor Mbah also pointed to agricultural modernisation as a key economic driver, noting that over 260 farm estates are being developed across the state to transition smallholder farmers into mechanised production systems supported by training, equipment and processing centres.

He said these initiatives are aimed at building a diversified economy that integrates agriculture, technology, tourism and manufacturing, while reducing poverty and creating sustainable employment opportunities.

“The idea is that if we sustain our investment in education, we are able to save a lot of money to spend on security tomorrow,” he said.

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Residents and stakeholders have continued to react to the scale of reforms under the Peter Mbah Enugu reform agenda, with supporters praising the administration’s focus on long-term structural transformation, while analysts note that delivery timelines and financing sustainability will be key tests for the government’s ambitions.