3
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has been bestowed with the Governor of the Year award at the 5th Frontier Discourse Annual Public Lecture Series and Awards, organised by Pacesetter Frontier Magazine.
The 2025 edition of the Frontier Discourse Annual Public Lecture and Awards, which recognises individuals and institutions making outstanding contributions to governance and national development, was held in Abuja under the distinguished chairmanship of the lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, and co-chairmanship of the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya.
According to the organisers, Governor Mbah was selected for his remarkable achievements in just two years in office, particularly his efforts in repositioning Enugu’s economy and transforming the state into a vibrant and premier investment destination.
The Founder of the magazine, Onochie Igwesi, praised him for redefining the socio-economic landscape of the Coal City through visionary policies, infrastructure renewal, and a commitment to sustainable growth, describing him as one of the most impactful governors in Nigeria today.
Upon assuming office, Mbah set an ambitious target to grow Enugu’s GDP from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.
According to the organisers, that vision is already yielding results. They cited a recent BudgIT report ranking Enugu as Nigeria’s most fiscally viable subnational government, with the strongest capacity to operate independently of federal allocations.
Mbah also earned commendation for his decisive action in ending the Monday sit-at-home order imposed by non-state actors, a move credited with restoring normalcy and economic activity across the state.
“Governor Mbah has revived and rehabilitated moribund state-owned assets. It is to his credit that Enugu became the first state in Nigeria to fully assume control of its electricity market, following the presidential assent to the Electricity Act of 2023,” Igwesi stated.
Reflecting on Mbah’s administration’s mantra, ‘Tomorrow is Here,’ he described the governor as “a leader whose governance philosophy is rooted in transparency, traceability, and accountability.”
“In just two years, Enugu has caught a full glimpse of tomorrow — today,” he added.
The Magazine described him as a “Maverick doubly certified to be ahead of his time.”
In his remark, Governor Mbah, while thanking the management and staff of Pacesetter Frontier Magazine for the honour, described the magazine as an unflinching promoter of democracy and good governance.
The governor, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Enugu State Liaison Office in Abuja, Barr. Chuks Ugwu said the award would only make him and his team work harder to sustain the goodwill and confidence realized in him by the people of the state and Nigerians in general.
