South-East tourism stakeholders applaud $125,000 US grant for Lejja Iron-Smelting Site preservation

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

South-East tourism stakeholders have applauded the Enugu State Government and the Centre for Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo for securing a $125,000 grant from the Government of the United States of America to support the preservation and promotion of the historic Lejja Iron-Smelting Site in Enugu State.

Lejja, world’s oldest iron smelting site in Nigeria

The stakeholders described the intervention as a major boost to cultural heritage preservation and tourism development in the South-East, saying the international support could draw greater global attention to the region’s rich historical and cultural assets.

Speaking on behalf of South-East tourism stakeholders, the Vice President, South-East, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Wilson Uche Ugwu, congratulated the Enugu State Government and the Centre for Memories on the development.

Ugwu said the grant represented an important recognition of the sustained efforts by stakeholders to promote the region’s tourism and cultural heritage.

“This is indeed a significant milestone for tourism and cultural heritage development in the South-East. We are deeply grateful to the Government of the United States of America, the Enugu State Government and the Centre for Memories for their commitment to preserving our heritage and showcasing these important assets to the world,” he said.

He noted that the development should provide fresh impetus for stronger collaboration among governments, tourism stakeholders, host communities, development partners and the private sector.

According to him, the grant should not be viewed as the conclusion of efforts to develop Lejja, but as an opportunity to attract further investment and build a sustainable tourism ecosystem around the heritage site.

“This is not the end of the journey; it is a call for more work and more collaborative efforts for greater results. We must build on this momentum by attracting more investment, improving tourism infrastructure, preserving more heritage sites and creating sustainable tourism opportunities across the South-East,” Ugwu said.

The stakeholders also commended the institutions, development partners and individuals whose contributions helped secure the grant, reaffirming their commitment to initiatives that promote the history, culture and identity of the South-East.

They stressed that preserving the Lejja Iron-Smelting Site goes beyond protecting an archaeological and historical asset, noting that its development as a tourism destination could generate economic opportunities for surrounding communities while supporting education and intergenerational transmission of cultural knowledge.

According to the stakeholders, the intervention has the potential to position Lejja as a model for the preservation, development and promotion of other cultural and heritage sites across the South-East.

They therefore called for sustained government and private-sector investment in heritage infrastructure, destination development, research, documentation and community participation to ensure that the region’s historical assets are preserved and converted into sustainable tourism opportunities.

The stakeholders expressed optimism that the Lejja project would strengthen the South-East’s visibility on the international tourism map and encourage further partnerships aimed at unlocking the region’s vast cultural tourism potential.

“South-East Tourism Rising — One Region. One Voice. One Tourism Vision.”