Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, extends his investment outreach to Vienna, Austria, engaging in high-level discussions with government officials, the business sector, and international development partners. During the visit, he finalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at advancing the state’s development.
Mbah’s objective is to elevate Enugu State’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within four to eight years through private sector investments and strategic alliances.
Among the notable figures he met were Austrian Minister of Interior Gehard Karner, Minister of Labour and Commerce Dr. Martin Kocher, Minister of Agriculture Norbert Totschnig, Managing Director of the Austrian Promotional Bank Bernhard Sagmeister, and Director General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Michael Spindelegge.
Parliamentarians and other stakeholders also expressed their readiness to collaborate with the Enugu State government for mutual benefit.
At the meeting with Austria’s Minister of Interior, Karner, Mbah and his host agreed to partner across various sectors with opportunities in Nigeria for Austrian SMEs.“As a way of kick-starting a fruitful relationship, Mbah and Karner signed an MOU on behalf of their respective governments for the establishment of a K-9 training unit in Enugu to boost security and crime detection.
Mbah’s meeting with the Austrian Minister of Agriculture, Totschnig, dwelt on the implementation of an agricultural model region, measuring about 2,000 to 5,000 hectares, and replicating the Austrian cooperative success story in Enugu State.
Meeting with the Austrian Minister of Labour and Commerce, Dr. Kocher, the Enugu State governor said his administration expressed readiness to help expand collaboration between Austrian and Nigerian businesses, especially in the areas of agriculture, hydro power, work and knowledge in semiconductors, possibly leveraging the already existing Austrian business presence at the European Business Park, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu.
“Enugu is open for business. We are your trusted partner for business in Nigeria and a stepping stone to Austrian businesses looking for a foothold in Africa,” he said.
