By Isaac Mission
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has outlined seven major areas the state is targeting to attract investment, expand industrial activity and strengthen its economy.
Otti disclosed this while speaking at the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) “Meet the Governor Series” held in Lagos on Thursday. The event was themed “Repositioning Abia for Enterprise, Industrialisation and Sustainable Economic Growth.”
The governor said the priority areas were selected based on Abia’s existing economic strengths and were intended to create opportunities for both local and international investors.
The sectors include agribusiness and agro-processing, trade and markets, the creative and digital economy, manufacturing and industrialisation, small and medium-sized businesses and the informal sector, inclusive finance, as well as diaspora investment and innovation.
Otti said his administration was positioning Abia as a state that is “open for business” through reforms covering fiscal management, infrastructure, human capital and the investment environment.
He disclosed that the state's 2026 budget stands at N1.016 trillion, with 80 per cent earmarked for capital expenditure. The governor added that internally generated revenue was projected at N223.4 billion and expected to support recurrent expenditure.
According to him, the strategy is to use public resources strategically while attracting private and external capital to finance infrastructure and other projects capable of generating long-term economic value.
Otti also pointed to improvements in fiscal transparency, noting that Abia ranked fourth in BudgIT's States Fiscal Transparency League for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Infrastructure, he said, remains critical to the state's investment drive. The governor disclosed that 414 roads had been completed across Abia, with another 82 projects still under construction.
He also revealed that over 10,000 solar-powered streetlights had been installed in Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia.
Otti explained that reliable infrastructure was necessary for businesses to move goods, operate efficiently and expand their activities.
On agriculture, the governor identified opportunities in integrated livestock and dairy production, cashew and cocoa plantations, rubber estates and related processing activities.
He said manufacturing investors could explore garment production, ceramics, leather and tannery businesses, particularly by helping transform Aba's large artisan base into formal and higher-volume industrial production.
The governor also highlighted opportunities in tourism and hospitality, citing Enyimba Hotels in Aba, the Umuahia Recreational Park and Ibom Waterfall.
In the power, transportation and logistics space, he identified utility operations and maintenance as well as the proposed Azumiri Seaport, which he described as having the potential to become an important trade and logistics gateway.
Other investment opportunities include the Abia Industrial Innovation Park and Economic Zone, which is expected to support serviced industrial, commercial and enterprise activities.
Healthcare was also listed among the investment areas, with Otti pointing to plans for an Abia medical city, specialist hospital and diagnostic centre.
He stressed that investment in education and healthcare would continue because a skilled and healthy workforce would be essential to sustaining the state's economic ambitions.
The President of the NBCC, Abimbola Olashore, said Abia's entrepreneurial culture and Aba's longstanding reputation for trade, manufacturing and indigenous enterprise gave the state a strong foundation for economic expansion.
Olashore noted that businesses required predictable policies, effective institutions, quality infrastructure, security, access to markets and opportunities for collaboration with government.
He said government and the private sector had complementary responsibilities, with government creating the right environment while businesses provide capital, innovation, expertise and entrepreneurial capacity.
The NBCC president reaffirmed the chamber's commitment to strengthening collaboration between government and the business community to translate investment discussions into tangible economic opportunities.