The Enugu State Government has set an ambitious target: grow the state's economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion by 2031. And it's betting big on aviation to get there.

On Tuesday, the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, told journalists during a media tour of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport that the government is pursuing two major aviation projects — the establishment of Enugu Air and the concession of the airport — as critical drivers of that growth.

Onyia said the projects are designed to boost tourism, attract investments, enhance agricultural exports, and position Enugu as the economic hub of the South-East.

“So under this government, Peter Mbah and the leadership of the President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the governor had approached the aviation sector to start the process of concessioning this airport standing behind me, the international airport, in alignment with the broader vision for aviation tourism in Enugu State,” Onyia said.

According to him, the government expects three to five million visitors to Enugu annually. That projection shaped the thinking behind Enugu Air.

“If we're expecting them, then we can't depend on third-party airlines to bring people to Enugu solely based on their schedule. That was how the Enugu Air concept came in, and you've seen some of our aeroplanes. We have six now, and this is just phase one,” he said.

Enugu Air currently has six aircraft in its fleet. The airline was initially set up with a partnership with EasyJet to build capacity, but it's since been transferred to private sector management. Onyia stressed that the government doesn't want to run the airline itself.

“What we don't want is the whole stereotype of government getting into a space that they're not competent in,” he said.

On the airport concession, Onyia disclosed that October 2026 is the timeline for the next phase of the process. He didn't provide further details on what that phase involves.

The airport is also expected to support agriculture. A cargo terminal will be built to move goods in and out of the state, linking Enugu's agricultural plans to the aviation sector.

“So you can see how the dots are being connected, and this is also in line with our agricultural plan. This is also going to help us with our agricultural investment outlook because this is where the cargo terminal will be, where we can move things in and out of the state to create that economic hub,” Onyia said.

He also mentioned that the government is revitalising tourist attractions across the state — including the Nike Lake Resort and other sites — to give visitors arriving by air places to go.

“Now, if people are going to come here for tourism, they need to be able to get into Enugu, and when they get into Enugu, we'll need places to go to,” he said.

Governor Peter Mbah, who took office in May 2023, has made economic transformation a central plank of his administration. The $30 billion GDP target by 2031 represents a nearly seven-fold increase from the $4.4 billion he inherited.

The state government says the aviation push is private-sector-led, with governance structures that include a board of competent professionals rather than political appointees.

  • Enugu State's current GDP: $4.4 billion
  • Target GDP by 2031: $30 billion
  • Enugu Air fleet size: 6 aircraft (phase one)
  • Expected annual visitors: 3 to 5 million
  • Airport concession next phase timeline: October 2026
  • Governor: Peter Mbah (since May 2023)