For decades, the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, including Enugu State, grappled with endemic security challenges that sabotaged progress, dislocated local economies, and scared off investment. From the harrowing Monday sit-at-home orders enforced by criminal non-state actors to the rampaging violence of terrorist herdsmen and kidnappings that left citizens in terror, the region’s development trajectory hung precariously on the edge.
But in the past two years, Enugu has undergone a dramatic transformation. At the heart of this renaissance is Governor Peter Mbah, whose ironclad commitment to security and economic revitalization is rewriting the state’s narrative.
Governor Mbah came into office with a bold, structured vision: to reposition Enugu as the premier destination for investment, tourism, and sustainable living. But he understood that no meaningful development could occur in an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. His government, therefore, took on the region’s entrenched security crises with strategic clarity and innovative resolve. A significant part of his early reforms was a declaration of zero tolerance for criminality and lawlessness, which he backed with action rather than rhetoric.
One of the most destructive security phenomena in the region was the notorious sit-at-home order enforced by faceless separatist agitators. This illegal directive crippled economic life every Monday, turned the state’s commercial hubs into ghost towns, and drained billions from the local economy. Dissatisfied with the Hebbesian state of anarchy, Governor Mbah courageously confronted the menace. With firm resolve, he banned the practice, deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies to restore normalcy. In a deft blend of security enforcement and public enlightenment, the Mbah administration reclaimed the state’s economic rhythm. Although, a torturous journey with traducers and political bandits – those presently sleeping in their assignments, wishing for his failure. They stirred the already troubled waters to storm but failed in their designs and Mbah won both the war and the battle.
Mbah’s approach to security was deeply tactical and systemic. He pioneered the establishment of a technologically advanced Command and Control Centre, designed to serve as the state’s security nerve centre. With AI-embedded surveillance systems, drones, facial recognition capabilities, and a 24/7 emergency response infrastructure, Enugu became Nigeria’s first state with real-time crime mapping and predictive policing. These innovations empowered security operatives to respond swiftly and effectively to threats.
The formation of the Distress Response Squad (DRS) added another formidable layer to the security matrix. Well-trained and properly equipped, the DRS patrols flashpoints, intercepts threats, and operates under a new doctrine of intelligence-driven action. Complementing this, the Mbah administration procured over 350 modern patrol vehicles, in addition to communication gadgets, significantly expanding the operational capacity of security agencies in the state. These were not mere photo-op procurements; they were embedded in a larger ecosystem of reform. They were intentional steps taken as a means of achieving that promise made on May 29, 2023 at the Michael Okpara Square – to rebirth the state, to wake the snoring, to recalibrate the compass of the state and wheel it to progress.
Understanding the human component of security, Mbah elevated the morale of security operatives through attractive incentives, insurance packages, and performance-based rewards. The era of underpaid, overburdened, and poorly motivated personnel came to a decisive end. Today, security officers in Enugu work with renewed confidence, aware that the government supports and values their role in sustaining peace.
The results have been swift and dramatic. Enugu’s streets, once haunted by fear and sporadic violence, are now vibrant with life, with ambience of nightlife buzzing. Places like Independence Layout, Ogui, New Haven, Presidential Layout, Agbani Road, Nsukka, all have thriving nightlife. You may want to it out.
Schools are in full session, businesses run throughout the week. The criminals who once imposed their will on the people have been decisively dislodged. Law and order have been restored not just symbolically but operationally and systematically. In a recent security research conducted by SB Morgen, Nigeria’s leading consultancy in intelligence, security, geopolitical and economic situations, rated Enugu state under Mbah administration as the third safest state in the country. Yet, Mbah says such feat was a modest achievement.
With security restored, the next phase of Mbah’s master plan kicked in — economic acceleration. Investors, long deterred by insecurity, have returned with confidence. Enugu now hosts a rising number of industrial parks, agro-processing zones, digital hubs, automobile manufacturing and assemblng plant, and real estate developments. The investment inflow has had a multiplier effect, creating jobs, transferring knowledge, and enhancing skills, especially among the youth.
But Mbah’s understanding of security goes beyond guns and barricades. Recognizing the root causes of crime, he launched robust non-kinetic security initiatives. Chief among them is the Skill-Up Enugu program, which trains thousands of youths in 21st-century digital skills such as coding, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, software development and digital marketing. With startup capital and incubation hubs spread across the state, these youths are no longer vulnerable to recruitment by criminal elements but are instead building startups and contributing to the digital economy.
The ripple effects of Mbah’s holistic approach are monumental. Enugu’s economy, once pegged at $4.4 billion, is on a trajectory to hit an ambitious $30 billion mark. From agriculture to fintech, manufacturing to tourism, the state is witnessing an economic rebirth. Poverty rates are declining as employment and productivity rise. Enugu is no longer merely a state; it is becoming a model.
As investors continue to troop in, the message is clear: Enugu is open for business, and Governor Mbah has de-risked the investment environment. With a transparent, accountable government, investor-friendly policies, a revamped judiciary to protect contracts, and a stable security ecosystem, Enugu stands tall as Nigeria’s most promising state for capital inflow and sustainable prosperity.
Governor Peter Mbah’s first two years have not just changed the narrative of Enugu — they have redrawn the frontiers of what is possible when bold vision, courage, and innovation converge. Investors seeking stability, returns, and impact need look no further. Enugu, under Mbah, has become a beacon of hope, a fortress of peace, and a powerhouse of opportunity. In only two years, there is no better place to invest than Enugu state.