By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Enugu State Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, on Tuesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to anchor the state into UNDP Nigeria’s Integrated Smart States Programme (ISSP).
This was even as UNDP commended the State Governor Peter Mbahโs โleadership, reform drive, and vision clarity,โ describing the MoU as โpartnership that speaks to Enugu State’s ambition, and to Nigeria’s evolving development story.โ
Speaking during the signing ceremony at Government House, Enugu, Resident Representatives, UNDP Nigeria, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, said ISSP would enable the state 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.
โYour Excellency, what we are doing today is not ceremonial. It is strategic. And it reflects a deliberate choice by Enugu State to lead development differently, through integrated planning, co-investment, and disciplined delivery.
โWhat also makes today exceptional is that we are signing three instruments: the Memorandum of Understanding, which sets the strategic framework; the Programme Description of Action, which translates that framework into a clear, integrated delivery pathway; and the Financing Agreement, which moves us from intent to execution, with a significant initial cost-sharing commitment by the Enugu State Government. This is exactly the kind of leadership signal that turns partnerships into results,” she stated.
According to Ms. Attafuah, although Nigeria was at a turning point where bold reforms were shaping the macroeconomic landscape on energy, fiscal policy, revenue mobilisation, and governance, such would not make any meaning unless they trickle down to the people.
โWe all now see one fundamental truth: reforms only matter when they translate into livelihoods, jobs, services, and opportunity for people. And in a federal system like Nigeria’s, states are where reform dividends must be delivered.
โThat is why UNDP Nigeria has repositioned how we work with subnational governments, moving from projects to portfolios, from aid to co-investment, and from delivery alone to systems transformation,โ she said.
Throwing more light on the MoU entitled โUNDP-Enugu Integrated Smart State Programme for Accelerated Development (2025-2027)’, Attafuah said the agreement was structured around five mutually reinforcing pillars: 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 tranche on July 1, 2026, stressing that the UNDP would ensure the availability of resources ahead of planned activities, and enabling disciplined implementation in line with UNDP’s accountability standards.
โSigning an MoU is not the destination. Activation is. Delivery is. Immediately after today, our joint priority is to finalise the Joint Action Plan with clear sequencing, responsibilities, and costing, because costing is the bridge between commitments and implementation.
โAnd to ensure speed and seriousness, UNDP will work with the state to operationalise a dedicated programme team and field coordination mechanism, aligned with the Enugu delivery architecture, to: trigger early implementation priorities, strengthen real-time tracking through dashboards and delivery labs, and support investment packaging to mobilize additional concessional and private finance.
โEnugu now joins that group of reform-forward states, positioning itself not only as a South-East leader, but as a subnational model for human capital transformati on innovation, and investment-led growth,โ she concluded.
Speaking, Gov. Mbah decribed the MoU signing as a milestone, as the partnership would help his administration accomplish its vision and promises to the people, promising transparency and accountability.
โThis 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.
โWe recognise that this would happen through collaboration and through partnership, which is why what is happening here today is of immense importance to us.
โWe are also interested in transparency, accountability and this is core in our governance philosophy – fund traceability and others.
โWhat this MoU we have just executed here today represents is making sure we get value for our money, making sure that our procurement processes are done transparently, making sure we extract the optimal value in every kobo or dollar we spend,โ he stated.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Gov. Mbah (centre), Mrs. Attafuah (2nd right) and other top officials at the signing ceremony.
