09.06.2020

The second project within the “African-Austrian SME Investment Facility” (AAIF) is a business park in Enugu (Nigeria), which is being built by the Austrian company Leeway. OeEB is providing a loan of EUR 1.95 million.

Already in June, the construction of the infrastructure for the business park (road construction, power supply, water and sewage supply), an office building and a TV station has started. In the planning and implementation of the project, Leeway will work closely with the Catholic private university Gofrey Okoye in Enugu, which provides the land as a local partner of the project. The university will build a campus on the site to double the number of students from 3,000 to 6,000. In the first stage of expansion, an area the size of two soccer fields is planned. This will create around 100 jobs.

Vocational education according to Austrian standards

Three Austrian SMEs are planning to settle in the industrial park initially. They will take part in the “Go-Uni European Business Park” project and train apprentices according to Austrian and EU standards. The industrial park, therefore, not only fulfils the purpose of offering a stable environment for the companies based there. Qualitative training and the support of start-ups through an 800 m² co-working space are also goals of the project.

The international migration organization ICMPD also supports the overall project, to create incentives for economic refugees from Nigeria to return to their home country. The EIB has defined the project as a lighthouse project and is expected to support the further expansion of the business park with a double-digit million amount in a second round of financing.