The Enugu Haier Factory, a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by the Chinese Haier Global Business in collaboration with the state government, was officially opened by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah on Saturday.
The $20 million FDI will create smart phones, tablets, laptops, smart boards, Android televisions, health and education innovations, and renewable energy solutions for transportation, agriculture, and electricity, according to Sun Yongle, vice president of Haier Group, who was speaking at the ceremony.
The factory follows the state’s other FDI patterns, such as the Stallion Group’s ongoing construction of an electric car assembly plant at Owo and the Nortra Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre, Enugu, an investment by the Danish company ODK Group that is scheduled to be put into service.
The Mbah administration provided the land and built the massive structures, among other things, and placed offtake orders for over 25,000 all-in-one desktops and 300,000 tablets to power its 260 Smart Green Schools.
Governor Mbah, who opened the factory in the center of the capital city of Enugu, said the investment was a perfect fit with the administration’s goal of turning the state into a top location for industry, investment, and knowledge-driven growth, as well as its drive to increase the state’s GDP from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.
“This partnership is the result of vision, innovation, and opportunity coming together to create globally competitive Made-in-Enugu technologies while allowing us to support important local sector advancements.” It implies that imports of the technology that supports vital sectors and empowers our students would cease. It’s a calculated move.
It lowers expenses. It guarantees sustainability. Most significantly, it increases local capacity,” he said.
The governor went on to say that the factory would create jobs, facilitate technology transfer, support complementary small and medium-sized businesses, support a technology ecosystem in the state, and act as a practical training platform for the state’s technical and vocational institutions.
He praised President Bola Tinubu’s macroeconomic policies, claiming that they had played a significant role in drawing in a consistent stream of foreign direct investments. “This consistent FDI inflow shows that the macro forces that were in place before have subsided.
Our foreign reserves have increased significantly, the value of the naira has strengthened, and inflationary trends have been trending downward,” he emphasized. Mbah emphasized that Enugu was prepared and open for business and urged investors from all around Nigeria and beyond to follow Haier’s lead.
Speaking, Sun Yongle, vice president of Haier Group, said that the factory would produce 200,000 units of various product lines annually, while also employing about 100 people for a start.
He also mentioned Haier Group’s $30 million investment in the state, which will include expansion into mining and agriculture. “Haier Group is the biggest appliance maker in the world, with over $60 billion in global sales in 2025. International brands that we own include Fisher & Paykel, Hoover, Sanyo Aqua, Candy, Mabe, and GE Appliances. With a planned annual production capacity of 200,000 units, the Enugu Haier Factory specializes in ICT, medical, and new energy goods.
When the factory is finished, we will have over 200 people overall, including our sales and service teams, and over 100 local laborers.
“But this factory marks only the first stage of our investment in Enugu State. We are also discussing cooperation in agriculture, mining, and transportation, including sesame, coal, and tricycles. We expect our total investment in Enugu State to exceed $30 million.
“Our goal is for our products to be not only Made-in-Enugu, but also designed in Enugu, with management and technical teams mainly composed of local professionals,” Yongle said.
He also praised Mbah for his leadership and support, saying that Haier would set up a local training center and research and development center to offer free training and internship opportunities to students in Enugu State.
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