History of Enugu

Enugu, the capital of Enugu State, with a population of about 700,000 people, is one of the most peaceful cities in Nigeria. The State Government has made major investments in infrastructure (roads, power, water, etc) over the last seven years, making the city the choice location for business and recreation.

The word “Enugu” (from Enu Ugwu) means “the top of the hill”. The first European settlers arrived in the area in 1909, led by a British mining engineer, Albert Kitson. In his quest for silver, he discovered coal in the Udi Ridge. The British colonial governor of Nigeria at the time, Frederick Lugard took a keen interest in the discovery, and by 1914 the first shipment of coal from Enugu was exported to Britain. As mining activities in- creased in the area, a permanent cosmopolitan settlement emerged, supported by a railway system linking the coal fields with the Port Harcourt sea port.

Climate Condition

Enugu has good climatic conditions all year round, located at 223 meters (732 ft) above sea level. The average temperature in Enugu is cool to mild (60 degrees Fahrenheit) in its cooler months and gets warm to hot in its warmer months (upper 80 degrees Fahrenheit) Enugu is approximately a 2-hour drive to any part of south-eastern Nigeria. It is a 2-1/2 hour drive from Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri. These are oil-rich coastal cities with major shipping ports. Enugu is also located within a 1-hour drive from Onitsha and 2-hour drive from Aba and Nnewi, which are major commercial centers in Nigeria.

Indusrialization

The Akanu Ibiam International airport in Enugu serves as the major local and international gateway to the south east.

Enugu made history in 2014 as the only Nigerian city among 35 cities from across the globe invited to join the 100 Resilient Cities Network (100RC) pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation, New York.

The choice of Enugu was predicated on the transformation of the road network in the city. Enugu was chosen from nearly 350 applicants on the basis of its ability to “demonstrate a unique vision for resilience, a long-term commitment to cutting across levels of government and sectors of society, a special attention to the needs of the poor and vulnerable.”

Other cities that made the list in 2014 are Kigali (Rwanda), Accra (Ghana) and Arusha (Tanzania), Barcelona, London,Paris, Boston, Chicago, Amman, Sydney and Singapore.