SSG Reaffirms Enugu Government’s Commitment to Agriculture, Investment, Job Creation and Sustainable Regional Development.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform | September 25, 2026.
The Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Enugu State Government to strengthening strategic partnerships with the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to unlock the agricultural and economic potential of the South-East region.
Prof. Onyia’s position formed part of the state government’s engagement with SEDC on the implementation of the South-East Agro-Development Programme (SEADP), which has commenced with the development of a 200-hectare integrated model farm at Nomeh Unateze in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The SSG emphasised that the partnership represents an important step towards transforming agriculture from largely subsistence activity into a commercially viable sector capable of attracting investment, creating employment and supporting sustainable economic growth.
The Enugu State Government had earlier entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with SEDC for the implementation of the agro-development programme, with the initiative designed to unlock underutilised agricultural assets, strengthen value chains, attract private-sector participation and create opportunities for young people across the region.
The Nomeh Unateze pilot project is structured as an integrated agricultural ecosystem rather than a conventional single-enterprise farm. Plans include dairy production, poultry, fisheries, fodder production, greenhouse farming, processing, mechanisation, renewable energy and practical agricultural training. Reports indicate that the facility is planned to accommodate a 200-head dairy herd and poultry production of up to 20,000 birds per cycle, alongside other components of the integrated model.
Speaking on the broader significance of the partnership, the Enugu State Government has maintained that agriculture must become an important component of the state’s economic diversification strategy. The initiative is expected to support food production while opening opportunities in processing, logistics, aggregation, marketing and other segments of the agricultural value chain.
The partnership also aligns with Governor Peter Mbah’s broader economic strategy, which places emphasis on infrastructure, private-sector participation, investment attraction, human-capital development and the creation of an environment where productive enterprises can thrive.
At the flag-off of the programme, Governor Mbah, represented by Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai, described the collaboration with SEDC as an example of what strategic cooperation between the Commission and state governments can achieve in agriculture and economic diversification. He also linked the initiative to Enugu’s plan to develop modern farm estates and expand agricultural opportunities across the state.
For Prof. Onyia and the Enugu State Government, the emerging partnership with SEDC goes beyond the establishment of a single agricultural project. It represents an opportunity to build an interconnected regional economic system in which farmers, investors, young entrepreneurs, financial institutions, research institutions and host communities can participate.
The SEDC has similarly stated that the real impact of the programme should extend beyond the boundaries of the pilot farm by creating skills, markets and productive opportunities for farmers and young people across the South-East.
With Enugu serving as the location of the pilot project, stakeholders are expected to focus increasingly on effective implementation, community participation, investment mobilisation and measurable outcomes.
The collaboration therefore places agriculture at the centre of an emerging conversation about food security, employment, industrialisation and regional economic development in the South-East.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform, reports that the Enugu–SEDC partnership signals a growing emphasis on coordinated regional development, with agriculture positioned as one of the sectors through which the South-East can expand productive capacity and create new economic opportunities.