- SEDC, Enugu Govt Seal Landmark Pact to Drive South-East Agricultural Revolution
In a major step toward transforming agriculture into a key driver of economic growth in Nigeria’s South-East, the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and the Enugu State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commence the implementation of the South East Agro Development Programme, a regional initiative aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, attracting private investment, creating jobs, and strengthening food security.
The agreement, signed in Enugu after nearly nine months of technical planning, stakeholder consultations, field assessments and intergovernmental collaboration, marks the first state-level implementation partnership under the Commission’s flagship regional agricultural transformation agenda.
The partnership seeks to unlock the economic potential of underutilised agricultural assets across the South-East by promoting commercial agriculture, strengthening value chains, integrating host communities into agricultural production, and creating an enabling environment for private sector investment.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Director of Projects at SEDC, Toby Okechukwu, who represented the Commission’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Okoye, described the agreement as a significant milestone in translating regional development plans into tangible economic outcomes.
According to him, the Commission’s success would ultimately be measured not by the signing of agreements but by the real impact the programme delivers.
“The true measure of our success will not be today’s signatures, photographs, or announcements. The true measure will be what follows after today: the land prepared, the investments attracted, the jobs created, the communities empowered, and the impact felt by ordinary people,” he said.
On behalf of the Enugu State Government, the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, said the partnership was another important milestone in Governor Peter Mbah’s drive to position agriculture as a commercially viable sector capable of attracting investment, creating employment and driving sustainable economic development.
He noted that the programme aligns with the state’s broader economic agenda centred on private sector-led growth, diversification and inclusive development.
Onyia reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing the enabling policy, institutional and regulatory environment necessary for successful implementation, while ensuring that host communities remain active beneficiaries of the initiative.
Unlike conventional agricultural interventions, the South East Agro Development Programme is designed as a comprehensive economic development framework aimed at catalysing industrialisation through agriculture. The initiative focuses on activating idle agricultural land, improving agricultural value chains, promoting environmental sustainability and mobilising private investment across the region.
Similar agreements are expected to be signed with the Abia State Government, while technical mapping activities are already underway in Ebonyi State.
Ultimately, the Commission intends to extend the programme across all five South-East states :Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
