The long-awaited revival of the Obudu Ranch Resort has received fresh impetus, with the Cross River State government and private investors unveiling a five-star tourism plan expected to create jobs, attract investment and open up the state’s northern tourism corridor to the global market.

Under the plan, the resort will undergo rehabilitation, including the restoration of its cable car system, improvement of the Lake Drive area and upgrading of other tourism infrastructure.

The deputy governor, Dr. Peter Odey, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ engagement with traditional rulers, youths, women and community leaders in Sankwala, Obanliku Local Government Area.

Odey said the concession of the resort followed more than one year of negotiations and a competitive selection process conducted under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.

He said the selected investors had demonstrated the capacity and commitment required to reposition the ranch as a world-class, five-star tourism destination.

Odey linked the success of the redevelopment plan to the completion of the Obudu Cargo Airport, saying the state government is working to ensure that the project becomes operational to support tourism and investment in the area.

He disclosed that the first passenger aircraft is expected to arrive at the airport by December 2026, while flight operations from Abuja and Lagos to Obudu are projected to commence in the first quarter of 2027.

Beyond tourism, Odey said the investment will deliver direct economic benefits to the host communities through employment, healthcare, education and agriculture.

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According to him, the investors have committed to constructing a hospital and school, upgrading a primary healthcare facility, employing youths and women and empowering local farmers.

He said the proposed safari will also create a ready market for farmers, particularly women, as crops produced locally will be purchased by the investors to feed wildlife.

Odey urged the people of Obanliku to protect the investment and provide a conducive environment for its success, assuring them that qualified indigenes will receive priority in employment opportunities.

He charged traditional rulers and community leaders to identify skilled youths who could participate in the construction and other development activities linked to the project.

Representing Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company, Colonel Amit Ghosh, said the company’s investment plans for the state extended beyond the rehabilitation of Obudu Ranch.

He said the company plans to develop the Utanga Safari into a world-class conservation and scientific research ecosystem focused on the conservation and breeding of endangered and near-extinct African species.

Ghosh said the project will create employment and new economic opportunities while placing Obanliku and Cross River on the international tourism and conservation map.

The company, he added, plans a comprehensive facelift of Obanliku through infrastructure and economic development initiatives designed to support tourism, conservation and investment.

Community leaders, youth and women representatives and traditional rulers at the engagement welcomed the development, saying the investment will transform the local economy through jobs, improved infrastructure and expanded business opportunities.

The youth leadership pledged to provide qualified manpower and support the project, while women representatives welcomed the proposed agricultural empowerment initiative.

The traditional rulers also pledged to protect the tourism facilities and called for sustained engagement between the investors, government and host communities.

The permanent secretary in the state Ministry of Tourism described the stakeholder engagement as a significant step towards building trust and ensuring community participation in the redevelopment of Obudu Ranch, Utanga Safari and other associated tourism assets.