Mbah Revives Decades‑Old Enugu Trade Hall, Boosts Private Sector Momentum

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

ENUGU, Nigeria — Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah presided over the inauguration of a 3,000‑square‑metre Premium Exhibition and Convention Hall at the Enugu International Trade Fair Complex on Friday, ending decades of neglect of one of the region’s most promising commercial assets. The project (100 per cent funded by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) through member contributions and donations) marks a watershed in the organised private sector’s effort to reclaim economic infrastructure that the federal government once abandoned.

The hall’s construction traces back to 4 April 2024, when its foundation was laid during the 35th Enugu International Trade Fair. The trade fair complex had languished for years after the federal government failed to complete investments similar to those in Lagos and Kaduna, leaving vital facilities unused and local businesses constrained.

At the ceremony, Mbah (represented by the State Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry, Samuel Ogbu‑Nwobodo) lauded ECCIMA’s leadership for bravery and initiative. He reiterated his administration’s vision of propelling Enugu’s economy toward a $30 billion GDP, stating that “with clear vision, clarity of action and belief in the people, we are getting there cumulatively.”

ECCIMA President Odeiga Jideonwo described the inauguration as a “historic milestone for the organised private sector,” emphasising that sustained development hinges on self‑reliance when government support proves insufficient.” Former chamber head Ugochukwu Chime underscored this point: “If others cannot help us, we can help ourselves.”

Economic scholars note that such public‑private collaboration is critical where infrastructure deficits impede local production and export capacity. As Dr. Adebayo Adedeji, a respected development economist, once observed, “When entrepreneurial institutions step into the breach left by weak public investment, they not only build assets; they build confidence.”

The new hall is expected to host exhibitions, trade shows and conventions that could catalyse business linkages and foreign investment in Enugu and beyond, enhancing regional competitiveness while signalling an era of renewed economic activism in Nigeria’s South‑East.