Gov Eno Targets Non-oil Revenues, Okays N2.5bn For Palm Oil Production

The Akwa Ibom state governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has said the state was inkling towards the diversification of the economy to agriculture, tourism and other non-oil sectors, to boost the revenue profile of the state.
Speaking at the March Projects Delivery Meeting (PDM) held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to timely project delivery and sustainable development.
Reviewing his administration’s scorecard since 2023, the governor gave himself a pass mark and highlighted 86 priority projects of the administration outside road, hospital, and school projects.
He emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to drive greater output and ensure efficient service delivery, and directed the constitution of an inter-ministerial committee to drive the completion and commissioning of Youth Friendly Centres (YFC).
The governor also addressed the state’s electricity situation, outlining ongoing reforms and clear roadmaps for Akwa Ibom State to take ownership of its power market, noting that “the current power situation is as a result of low power generation across the country,” and assured that government was engaging relevant power stakeholders towards improved power supply in the state.
Following a presentation by the Agriculture and Food Security Committee, the governor approved the sum of N2.5 billion for the procurement of over 620,000 palm seedlings for distribution to registered farmers across the 31 local government areas of the state.
“This initiative is part of efforts to boost agricultural productivity and economic growth,” adding that a formal launch of the programme would be held at a later date.
LEADERSHIP gathered that a total of 55 projects were reviewed during the meeting, with clear timelines and commissioning dates established.
Some of the projects reviewed included; the Governor’s Office Annex, AKWA-GIS House, Ibom International Convention Centre, Ibom International Hotel, Itam Industrial Park, International Market, Ikot Ekpene; Rehabilitation of AKADEP Head Office and Youth Friendly Centres.
Others included Arise Palm Resort, One Project Per LGA (Phase 2), Judiciary Village, Chairman’s Lodge, 350 Bed International Hospital, Tree Crop Revolution, Security and Command Center, AKBC House, Court of Appeal Complex, key airport infrastructure projects, Ibom farms, Arise Shopping City, Agric Equipment Leasing Company, and Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort.
Oron Maritime Infrastructure, Ibom City Bus Service, Multiple General Hospitals, AKICORP House, Agricultural initiatives, security infrastructure, and major housing developments across the State, were also reviewed.
Following a presentation by the Honourable commissioner for works, another batch of 10 roads spanning 58.5 kilometres out of the over 1300 Kilometres of road projects across the State have been completed and are ready for commissioning in May 2026.