The Enugu State government has signed a N100 billion joint venture agreement with Songhai Sustainable Initiative and Tribu Limited to rehabilitate the moribund Heneke Integrated Farm.

The agreement, signed on Tuesday at Government House, Enugu, formally establishes Enugu Tribu Songhai Farms Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) tasked with reviving, expanding, and managing the 10,000-hectare project located in Ezeagu Local Government Area.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Governor Peter Mbah, represented by Secretary to the State Government Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, described the partnership as a turning point for Enugu’s agro-industrial transformation agenda.

“Today, we formalise a partnership that will breathe new life into the Enugu Songhai Initiative, transform abandoned assets into thriving agro-industrial hubs, and advance food security, regenerative development, and inclusive growth for Ndi Enugu,” he said.

The Heneke Integrated Farm, originally established in 2013 but left incomplete, is set to become a multi-sectoral agro-industrial ecosystem, including Crop production, Animal husbandry, Aquaculture, Agro-processing plants, Renewable energy systems, and Eco-tourism facilities.

Governor Mbah highlighted that the project will rehabilitate all 10,000 hectares, establish a 25-hectare training and incubation centre for youth and women, create thousands of jobs across agriculture, processing, and export value chains, and promote the adoption of modern, sustainable farming practices.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Hon. Patrick Ubru, emphasised the project’s sustainability and transformative potential:

“We have the land, water, good soil, and the right people. This initiative will create thousands of jobs, boost food production, and change the mindset of our people towards agriculture”.

“It is going to be an integrated system, crop, livestock, aquaculture, processing, export, and eco-tourism,  driven by the community, private sector, and government.”

Prof. Godfrey Nzamujo, Director of Songhai Sustainable Initiative, pledged the organisation’s technical expertise and described the project as strategic agriculture. 

He encouraged young people to embrace agriculture and leverage decent livelihood opportunities.

“We are committed to producing more and better with less. This is about integrated farming combining crops, livestock, aquatics, renewable energy, and human capital development,” he said.

Ozor Silas Nnamdi, CEO of Tribu Limited, stressed the project’s potential to serve as a model for eco- and agro-tourism in Nigeria.

“We are going to build one of the best Songhai resorts in Africa. It is a shame that Nigeria still imports what it eats. This project is proof that we can change that narrative,” he concluded.

Source: Independent News