The Nkaliki Hatchery, once regarded as one of Ebonyi State’s major agricultural assets and among the largest poultry complexes in the South-East, is undergoing a major transformation following the rehabilitation and remodelling carried out by the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.
Established in 1979 during the administration of former Anambra State Governor, Jim Nwobodo, the facility occupies about 36 hectares and was designed as an integrated poultry complex comprising broiler and layer production, parent stock, hatchery operations, poultry processing and a feed mill.
The hatchery had nine layer pens and six sets of hatchery facilities, producing thousands of birds and eggs. Its automated slaughterhouse was also regarded as one of the most sophisticated of its kind in the country at the time.
Beyond poultry production, the facility served as an important economic hub, providing employment opportunities and attracting buyers from Abia, Enugu, Imo, Cross River, Benue and Anambra states.
Between 1999 and 2007, during the administration of former Governor Dr. Sam Egwu, the facility reportedly witnessed significant development and expansion.
However, years of neglect and deterioration eventually took their toll on the once-thriving complex. Its poultry pens, equipment and other facilities became dilapidated, production declined, and the Nkaliki Hatchery was left largely moribund.
The situation has now changed under Governor Nwifuru, whose administration has rehabilitated and remodelled the facility, restored critical infrastructure and repositioned the complex for renewed agricultural production.
The chicken pens have been restored, while the administrative and other supporting facilities have also been rehabilitated as part of the wider effort to revive the hatchery.
The transformation is being presented as part of the practical implementation of the People’s Charter of Needs, with the state government focusing on agriculture, food production, employment creation and economic empowerment.
The rehabilitation is expected to provide the physical foundation for the revival of an agricultural institution that once played a significant role in poultry production, employment and commerce in Ebonyi and the wider South-East.
The renewed Nkaliki Hatchery therefore represents more than the restoration of ageing structures. It is being repositioned as an agricultural asset capable of supporting production, creating jobs and opening new economic opportunities for a new generation of Ebonyians.
The images accompanying the report provide a visual comparison of some sections of the facility before the rehabilitation and their present appearance following the intervention.
