US Grant Backs Preservation of 4,000-Year-Old Lejja Iron-Smelting Site in Enugu
ENUGU — The United States government has provided a $125,000 grant to preserve the Lejja iron-smelting site in Enugu State, an archaeological location described in reports as roughly 4,000 years old, according to Voice of Nigeria [1] and Vanguard [2].
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Thu, 27 August 2026 · 1 min read
ENUGU — The United States government has provided a $125,000 grant to preserve the Lejja iron-smelting site in Enugu State, an archaeological location described in reports as roughly 4,000 years old, according to Voice of Nigeria [1] and Vanguard [2].
Tourism stakeholders in south-eastern Nigeria welcomed the award. Wilson Uche Ugwu, vice-president (South-East) of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), called it "a significant milestone for tourism and cultural heritage development," crediting the Enugu State Government and the Centre for Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo for securing the funds, Voice of Nigeria reported [1].
Stakeholders said preservation could position Lejja as a sustainable cultural-tourism hub and a model for protecting other heritage sites across the South-East [1]. The figure is as reported by the cited outlets; Source Reporters has not seen the grant agreement.
## Also noted
Applications have opened for the UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028, targeting artists and creative businesses, per MSME Africa [3]. Details remain unverified by a primary source.
**Sources:** von.gov.ng, vanguardngr.com
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