By Nneka Ibe
The Enugu State Government has entered into a ₦100 billion joint venture with Songhai Sustainable Initiative in Nigeria and Tribu Limited to overhaul the long-abandoned Heneke Integrated Farm in Ezeagu Local Government Area.
Signed on Tuesday at Government House, Enugu, the agreement establishes Enugu Tribu Songhai Farms Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle that will manage the full-scale redevelopment of the 10,000-hectare site into a dynamic agro-industrial hub.
Governor Peter Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, hailed the deal as a bold step toward industrializing agriculture and ensuring food security. He said the partnership will “breathe new life into the Enugu Songhai Initiative, transform abandoned assets, and create inclusive growth opportunities.”
The once-moribund farm, first initiated in 2013, will be reimagined as a multi-sectoral ecosystem featuring crop cultivation, livestock rearing, aquaculture, renewable-energy installations, food-processing facilities, and eco-tourism attractions. Plans also include a 25-hectare training and incubation centre to empower youth and women, while generating thousands of direct and indirect jobs along the agriculture and export value chains.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialization, Hon. Patrick Ubru, described the project as a game changer. “With our fertile soil, abundant water, and skilled people, Enugu is ready to become Nigeria’s food-production powerhouse,” he said, adding that transparency and strong governance structures will protect state interests.
Prof. Godfrey Nzamujo, Director of Songhai Sustainable Initiative, pledged to bring the group’s technical expertise, stressing the importance of integrated farming that “produces more and better with less.”
Project financier and Tribu Limited CEO, Ozor Silas Nnamdi, emphasized that the farm will also double as a top-tier agro- and eco-tourism destination. “This is proof that Nigeria can feed itself and even export surplus,” he declared.
With a massive capital injection and private-sector expertise, the Enugu government says the project is poised to spark modern agribusiness, attract foreign investors, and diversify the state’s economy.
