The proposed Ibom Solutions Hub Industrial Park (ISHIP) in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is set for take-off as the State Government, Ibom Solutions Hub Limited and host communities intensify discussions on compensation modalities.
The development followed a town hall/community engagement in Uyo on Monday, August 17, 2026, where the State Government assured stakeholders that the compensation process would be guided by consultation, transparency, dialogue and compliance with the law.
It would be recalled that the Shareholders Agreement for the project was signed on October 28, 2022, between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ibom Solutions Hub Limited and the Akwa Ibom State Government during the administration of former Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The Commissioner for Lands and Town Planning, Dr. Ubong Inyang, said the government would protect the interests of landowners and host communities while facilitating the investment.
He clarified that the State Government would not undertake the resettlement of affected land owners, adding that concerns over compensation, resettlement, equity, employment and environmental safety would be addressed through continued engagement.
The Managing Director/CEO of Akwa Ibom State Investment Corporation (AKICORP), Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, described the project as a major component of the State’s industrialisation drive, noting that its strategic location in Mbo along the Gulf of Guinea corridor could attract heavy industries, provide shared infrastructure and reduce the cost of doing business.
In a technical presentation, the Director of Technical/Programme Manager, Ibom Solutions Hub, Engr. Lucky Oboh, said the project would occupy 1,810 hectares across Ibaka, Effiat, Enyenge and Ubotuong-Enwang, and create over 1,000 direct jobs and thousands of indirect employment opportunities.
Lucky Oboh listed the proposed facilities to include petrochemical plants, GTL chemical factories, a 650MW power plant, pipeline and gas-processing facilities, steel and ammonia plants, among others.
Oboh said geotechnical, bathymetric and hydrologic studies had been completed and were being used for engineering designs.
He added that the project would promote energy security, import substitution, local content, skills development, infrastructure and industrial growth, while providing vocational training and other opportunities for host communities.
Responding to concerns, an Executive Director of Ibom Solutions Hub, Sir Asuquo E. Inuikim, said the existing agreement assigned specific responsibilities to the equity partners, with the Akwa Ibom State Government responsible for compensation, resettlement of affected land owners, construction of access roads and approval of pipeline routes.
He stated that the government had reneged on the payment of compensation, which was subsequently undertaken by Ibom Solutions Hub Limited.
According to him, the amount would be treated as a loan and deducted from the State’s share during future equity sharing.
Inuikim said the company had made substantial investments in infrastructure and urged stakeholders to consider the project’s long-term benefits while ensuring meaningful community participation.
The Chairman of Mbo LGA, Hon. Sunday Etim, appealed for equity participation for host communities in addition to compensation, arguing that such an arrangement would provide sustainable benefits from the ancestral land.
In their separate remarks, Asuquo Asuquo Okpo, Esq.; Engr. Ita Awak; Hon. Chris Abasi Eyo; Mr. Emmanuel Ntekim; Mrs Mmakim Antai and Effiong Okon Inam, Esq., among others, called for transparency, peaceful dialogue, community participation and protection of landowners’ interests.
The engagement, attended by the Special Assistant to the Governor, Bureau of Cooperative, Rt Hon Alice Ekpenyong; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands and Town Planning, Mrs. Emma Udonsek, Esq.; and other Directors of the Ministry, also had in attendance, all Clan Heads in Mbo and the affected village heads, among many others.
