Enugu Govt. Partners with Austrian firm to boost water infrastructure

By chiekezie Emmanuel

The Enugu State Government signed an agreement with Wande Nexus, an Austrian firm, to implement the Sustainable Last Mile Connectivity and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Project in Enugu. This partnership, which includes a $100 million Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), will modernise our water infrastructure, enhance service delivery, and ensure equitable access to clean water for every household in Enugu City.

The signing ceremony, which took place at the Government House, Enugu, in the presence of the Austrian Ambassador to Nigeria, Thomas Schlesinger, is a direct result of the economic reforms of the Federal Government and our continued efforts to position Enugu as a prime destination for investment.

This agreement is the result of months of hard work, from the MoU and Terms Sheet to the Concession Agreement. We are now ready to move forward with the immediate disbursement of funds to deal decisively with the last mile connection, the downstream part of our water system.

Our administration has successfully increased water production from an occasional 2 million to 120 million litres per day. With this new agreement, we are now poised to address the biggest challenge, which is expanding the network and connecting the tertiary pipelines to the various homes. We will also increase production capacity to 200 million litres per day.

I thank the Austrian Government for their unwavering support and to Ambassador Schlesinger for his interest in this project. His support and encouragement reinforce our commitment to improving the lives of our people he said.

I also thank Dr. Ugochukwu Ugbor, Chairman of Wande Nexus, for his leadership and vision. His extensive experience and dedication will ensure that this project meets its goals, creating 500 direct jobs and enhancing the health and economic prospects of the people of Enugu.

This partnership marks a significant step in our journey to providing all citizens with reliable access to clean and safe water. Together, we are building a more prosperous and sustainable future for Enugu He emphasized.