The Enugu government and the United Nations Development Programme have signed a memorandum of understanding on education, energy, trade, and the digital economy to accelerate the state’s development.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony at Government House, Enugu, on Tuesday, the resident representative of UNDP Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, said the deal anchored the state in UNDP Nigeria’s Integrated Smart States Programme.

She said ISSP would enable the state to translate political priorities into investment-ready portfolios, use state resources as anchor capital, crowd in Development Finance Institutions and private investors, and strengthen delivery systems for results.

According to her, the agreement is structured around health systems strengthening, smart green schools, energy for development, innovation and digital economy, and trade, tourism and investment promotion.

She promised immediate action, saying the financing agreement provided a clear runway for activation, with the first tranche due on March 1, 2026, and a second one on July 1, 2026.

The resident representative added that UNDP would ensure the availability of resources ahead of planned activities and enable disciplined implementation in line with UNDP’s accountability standards.

She stressed that Enugu had joined the group of reform-forward states, positioning itself not only as a South East leader but also as a subnational model for human capital transformation, innovation, and investment-led growth.

Governor Peter Mbah described the MoU signing as a milestone, noting that the partnership would help his administration achieve its vision and fulfil its promises to the people, while promising transparency and accountability.

“This is an important milestone in our relationship with the UNDP. During our campaign for office, when we laid our blueprint for the people of Enugu State, we made our total commitment to eradicating poverty in the state.

“We made a commitment to achieve a zero-poverty headcount index in the state. We recognise that this would happen through collaboration and through partnership, which is why what is happening here today is of immense importance to us,” stated the governor.

Mr Mbah added, “Our government is also interested in transparency, accountability, and this is core in our governance philosophy – fund traceability and others.

“What this MoU we have just executed here today represents is making sure we get value for our money, making our procurement processes are done transparently and extract the optimal value in every kobo or dollar we spend.” 

(NAN)