Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State has received high commendation for his administration’s launch of Enugu Air, the first state-operated airline in the South East.
The Chief Executive Officer of First Choice Afro Villa Ltd and Mburubu Construction Company Ltd and The Igwe elect of mburubu Ancient Kingdom, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu state , Chief Dr. Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe, made this known on Monday in Enugu, shortly after the commissioning of the Enugu Air project while having an interaction with journalists.
He described Enugu Air as a pivotal move towards strengthening the South East region’s infrastructure and business climate.
He stated that the initiative signals a transformative shift in the region’s approach to connectivity, commerce, and regional integration.
According to him,
“What Governor Mbah has done with Enugu Air is not just about flying aircraft—it’s about building bridges across economic zones, creating ease for investors, and redefining how people move, think, and plan in the South East.”
Chief Dr. Onuokaibe, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s real estate and construction industry, also described the launch of the airline, starting with three Embraer aircraft (E170 and E190 series), as a futuristic response to the long-standing limitations in domestic mobility, particularly in the Eastern region.
“Before now, poor access to fast and reliable air travel was one of the bottlenecks investors raised when considering projects in the South East. That narrative has now changed. Enugu is now being repositioned not just as a state capital, but as a regional aviation and investment hub.”
He also praised the Governor for linking the state to key Nigerian cities, including Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Benin, and Kano, through the “golden triangle” flight routes planned under the airline.
“The scope of this project shows deep strategic planning. With cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Kano in the flight matrix, the Governor has laid a new corridor for goods, services, and skilled labor to move seamlessly in and out of the South East.”
“The economic implications of Enugu Air span far beyond aviation. This will spark ripple effects across various sectors—construction, hospitality, logistics, tech, even education. The more people and products we can move efficiently, the faster we grow. It will also inspire confidence in diaspora investors who now have easier access to their homeland.”
He also acknowledged the Governor’s efforts in selecting aircraft suited for regional travel, adding that the Embraer series reflects an understanding of both the market and the region’s infrastructural demands.
He, however, urged leaders in other South Eastern states to learn from Mbah’s model of translating policy ideas into impactful infrastructure, saying, “Leadership is about solving real problems, and today, Governor Mbah has solved one that has lingered for decades.”
