In a significant effort to reform and modernise land administration in Enugu State, Governor Dr Peter Mbah inaugurated the Enugu State Geographic Information System (ENGIS) on Monday, heralding it as a major victory for the people of the South East.
Earlier this year, in March, Mbah signed into law the Enugu State Geographic Information System Service Bill, a legislative initiative from his administration that was passed by the Enugu State House of Assembly. He emphasised that this move aligns with his campaign promise to automate governance, beginning with the streamlining and enhancement of land administration in the state.
During the inauguration of the ENGIS office and system in Enugu, Mbah stated, “This is not merely a victory for the government; it is a triumph for the people of Enugu. Trusting the integrity of a process is crucial. Today marks the end of the era of land grabbing, unauthorised constructions, double allocations, and revenue diversion.”
The governor explained that this initiative supports his campaign’s ambition to elevate the state’s economy to $30 billion and create a business-friendly environment. He noted that while ENGIS can process title applications in just a few hours, a maximum duration of 48 hours has been set to accommodate other procedural safeguards.
“During our campaign, we committed to substantial investments in the digital sector and to making Enugu State the best in terms of Ease of Doing Business. Two key indicators of this ease are the simplicity of obtaining a title and securing a construction permit.
“Today, we are launching a system that will help us meet our economic growth objectives. With ENGIS, you can complete a title application within 48 hours, all from the comfort of your home, allowing you to apply for titles and conduct searches with near-instant results.
“This initiative will also enhance transparency in land management. The days of opaque land transactions are over, as all processes are now accessible for public viewing.
“We believe this will significantly attract investors and bring us closer to realising our goal of growing the economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within four to eight years. We are confident in this achievement, given the rising value of real estate in our state, as evidenced by the influx of people.
“With ENGIS in place, we are poised for business and ready to expedite title applications,” he stated.
Mbah also commended his team for their dedication, stating that they had worked tirelessly to digitise land documents dating back to the early colonial era when most of Southern Nigeria, excluding Lagos, was administered from Enugu.
The Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie, and the Coordinator of ENGIS, Dr Cyril Ezeama, noted that ENGIS would enhance the state’s revenue generation and serve as an advanced geospatial centre of excellence for land administration and data management.
Ezeama remarked, “This system will facilitate the transparent, accurate, and efficient registration of land titles, provide reliable geospatial information, and ensure sustainable land management for Enugu State.
“The project is designed not only to eliminate revenue leakages but also to significantly boost revenue generation, projected to contribute an estimated N300 billion annually to Enugu State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“ENGIS is the first of its kind in Nigeria, allowing land applications and searches to be initiated and completed entirely online, easily, and without the need for physical visits,” he concluded.
The Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Honourable Uchenna Ugwu; the Chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Samuel Asadu; the Chairman of Enugu North LGA, Honourable Ibenaku Onoh; the Chairman of the Enugu Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Barr. Venatus Odoh; his counterpart from the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Surv. E.C. Nnamani; the Chairman of the Institute of Town Planners, Enugu State, Charles Ngene; and the Chairman of the Enugu State House of Assembly Committee on Lands, Honourable Pius Ezeugwu, praised Governor Mbah’s digital transformation of governance and expressed their unwavering support for his development agenda for the state.
