Although Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara died almost 42 years ago, the mention of his name in Nigeria today, evokes memories of the agricultural and agro-industrial revolution in Eastern Nigeria in the 1950s and 60s, during his days as the Premier of former Eastern Region. During that glorious era, the Eastern Region ranked among the fastest growing economies in the world, alongside the four Asian Tigers, namely, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea.
In Okpara’s era, the vast and historically significant area known as the Eastern Region, encompassed the nine present-day states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers. In spite of the humongous size of the region, no part of it was left out in the agricultural and agro-industrial revolution.
Under Okpara, farm settlements, plantations, cattle ranches and other livestock ventures were established across the length and breadth of Eastern Nigeria. Relying on revenue from agriculture, his administration transformed Eastern part of the country into an industrial and manufacturing hub.
M. I as he was popularly called, made Aba a manufacturing and commercial hub, built a gas plant and asbestos factory in Emene, near Enugu, and established a cement factory at Nkalagu town, located in the current Ebonyi State. In the area of tourism, he built Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt and Enugu to boost hospitality and elite tourism in both cities. That was not all.
Okpara embarked on industrial and infrastructure development in Port Harcourt. He established the Trans Amadi as the industrial hub to drive manufacturing and economic growth in the Eastern Region and facilitated the establishment of a Michelin Tyre factory in the city. He expanded and upgraded the seaport in Port Harcourt, to boost shipping, international trade and commercial output of the Eastern Region.
Unfortunately, Okpara’s vision for Eastern Region suffered a serious setback during the Nigeria-Biafra war, fought mainly in the Igbo-dominated area of Eastern Nigeria from 1967 to 1970. The war, which lasted for 30 months retarded economic growth and infrastructure development in the East.
Till date, Eastern Nigeria has not fully recovered from the devastation of the war, notwithstanding the declaration of “No Victor, No Vanquished,” by the then-military government of General Yakubu Gowon and federal government’s implementation of the 3Rs policy (Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction). The socio-economic and environmental impacts of the war remain visible everywhere in Eastern Nigeria, particularly in the area known as the South-East region today.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step to address the long-standing economic and infrastructure challenges in the South East region since after the war, by assenting to the bill establishing the South East Development Commission (SEDC). He later inaugurated the pioneer board in February 2025.
Six months after the inauguration of the board, the commission, working in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) produced a roadmap, containing programmes and projects to transform and position the South-East as a premier investment destination by 2035. The commission intends to achieve this mission through investments, public-private partnerships and innovating financing.
A few days ago, SEDC took a critical step towards reinventing Okpara’s agricultural and agro-industrial revolution in Eastern Nigeria, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Enugu State Government under its South East Agro-Development Programme. The programme targets investment opportunities, massive job creation, food security and sustainable agro-industrial development.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Director (Projects) SEDC, Hon. Toby Okechukwu who represented the Managing Director, Mark Okoye, described the partnership as a historic step towards transforming the region’s agricultural potential into a catalyst for economic development.
According to Okechukwu, the agreement which represents more than formal signing ceremony, reflects a shared commitment by both institutions to pursue practical solutions, capable of delivering lasting prosperity for the people through strategic collaboration and disciplined implementation.
Responding on behalf of Governor Peter Mba, the Secretary to Government, Enugu State, Chidebere Onyia, expressed the administration’s commitment to building a robust agricultural economy, capable of driving industrial growth and expanding the state’s wealth base. Onyia disclosed that over 52 hectares of land had already been mapped out for agricultural development in Enugu State, assuring prospective investors of government support, while protecting the interest of the host communities.
Speaking after the signing of the MOU, the Executive Director (Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development) SEDC, Dr. Cliff Ogbede, offered an insight into the South East Agro-Development Programme. Ogbede described the programme as a regional initiative led by the commission, to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen food security and stimulate agro-industrialisation. He explained that the pilot projects are rolling out across the entire South East region, starting with Enugu State.
The first phase, Ogbede said, commenced with the formal MOU between SEDC and Enugu State Government, with plans to expand to the four remaining South East states, namely, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo. The commission is targeting 50, 000 hectares of farmlands across all the designated states in the first phase, with each state expected to donate 10,000 hectares. The projects, Ogbede further stated, are designed to activate agricultural assets, attract private investment and create massive youth employment.
Ogbede explained that the project aims to integrate modern farming techniques, including the use of drones for chemical spraying/cultivation, procurement of 1000 tractors and specialized greenhouse technology for organic crop production. He identified high-value specialized crops, such as cotton, sesame and Nsukka pepper, among the target crops.
Highlighting the economic impact of the programme, Ogbede stated that the first phase is projected to directly create 52,000 jobs, with the potential to generate up to one million jobs through the agricultural value chain, including processing, marketing and transportation. He disclosed that investors must process cash crops up to 50 percent before export.
He noted that the programme would also have security impact on the states, as “ungoverned forests” previously used as criminal hideouts are going to be developed. On rural development, Ogbede said the programme would bring state presence to the rural communities.
The programme relies on an array of stakeholders, including the National Agricultural Land Development Agency (NALDA), development finance institutions, like Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Bank of Industry (BOI) and Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NISRAL) PLC, a non-bank financial institution created by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to de-risk agricultural lending.
NALDA, BOA, NIRSAL and BOI are supporting SEDC in Agro mechanisation, while several commercial and Microfinance banks have expressed willingness to support the initiative driven by Ogbede who has been working tirelessly for the realisation of the project in the past nine months. Ogbede has visited all the states to conduct mappings and site inspections of available lands for Agriculture in the zone.
The commission is also working with research institutions, and the organised private sector to fund and execute the agricultural value chain and infrastructure set ups.
I cannot end this write-up without commending greatly, the Managing Director of SEDC, Mark Okoye and Dr. Cliff Ogbede for their hard work and efforts towards repositioning the region for economic growth through the agro mechanisation program. I will conclude by applauding SEDC for the take-off of the South East Agro-Development Programme.
The contribution of Agriculture and agribusiness to the Nigerian economy cannot be overstated. Indeed, they are the backbone of the Nigerian economy, employing over a third of the country’s labour force and contributing roughly one-quarter of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Finally, they are critical for ensuring food security, generating rural wealth and diversifying export revenue away from crude oil.
Nzomiwu, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Awka, Anambra State.
