The Enugu State Government and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, CWEIC, on Thursday, signed a strategic partnership agreement that would accelerate trade and investment inflow to the state.
This was even as Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State was named a co-chair of the Governors Roundtable at the 2025 edition of Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit coming up in London in April.
CWEIC is a commercial, not-for-profit membership organisation, which has the official mandate from the Commonwealth Heads of Government to facilitate trade and investment throughout the 56 Commonwealth member nations, using its convening power and trusted network of the Commonwealth.
Speaking during the partnership signing ceremony at the Government House, Enugu, the leader of the delegation and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CWEIC, Mrs. Rosie Glazebrook, expressed the organisation’s eagerness to support the investment drive of the Governor Mbah administration.
“We are delighted to sign the strategic partnership with the Governor. We work primarily with the private sector, businesses. Our organisation is there to drive trade and investment. We do this with very excellent convening power. We will bring this to bear in our partnership with Enugu State.
“Our organisation is there to support and collaborate to really showcase anything that Enugu is ready to offer in investment and trade. Our organisation’s aim is to look out for how we can bring down barriers to trade and to encourage investment.
“Our strategic partnership with the Government of Enugu State is really important to us, and we are there to be extremely active and really make sure that we use all of our network and our convening power to the absolute benefit of the state,” he stated.
Mrs. Glazebrook, who was also accompanied by other CWEIC officers and partners, including CWEIC Country Director for Nigeria, Mr. Obinna Anyanwu; Novare South Africa representative, Mr. Ayotunde Adesulu; Regional Head for South South & South East, Emerging Africa Group, Mr. Collins Olise; and the Regional Director, South South/South East, Leadway Assurance, Mr. Ikponmwosa Iyamu, noted the many investment opportunities in the state, commending also the governor’s effort to de-risk investment.
“The opportunities here are many. Whether it is education, infrastructure, the new city, the light railway. These are all of great interest to many of our partners,” he stated.
She described Governors Roundtable as a centerpiece of the forthcoming 2025 Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit in London that would bring together business leaders and top government officials from the 56 Commonwealth nations and thanked Mbah for accepting the invitation to co-chair the session.
“We are looking forward to a Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit which happens annually in London and the governor has received the invitation to lead the Governors Roundtable to showcase some of the amazing opportunities that exist in Enugu,” she said.
Speaking, Governor Mbah said the strategic partnership deal with CWEIC was very much in line with his administration’s humongous projection to grow Enugu State’s economy exponentially from $4.4bn to $30bn.
“We know that we cannot wish that growth into existence. Instead, we need to take steps. We have to do things deliberately and we have to be very intentional; which is why we see the partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council as quite strategic.
“The value of this strategic partnership cannot be lost on us because we see it as a platform that will enable us to tap in. We have over 140 private sector partners. Whether it is partnership between government and business or between government and government, we see you as that channel that would give us access.
“So, we are truly looking forward to the opportunities that this partnership brings. I have received your invitation and I can tell you that it is truly an honor to be able to participate in your Investment Submit next year and to co-chair your Governors Roundtable,” he said.
Mbah emphasised that his administration’s huge investments in infrastructure, security, education, including the completion of the Enugu International Conference Centre, ongoing construction of the adjourning five-star hotel, revamping of moribund state assets, and the imminent launch of Enugu Air were all geared towards catalysing trade, investment, tourism, exponential economic growth in the state.