By Isaac Mission
BUA Group has called on state governments across Nigeria to improve the business environment if they want to attract more private investment and accelerate industrial development.
The conglomerate said governments at the subnational level must prioritise infrastructure, stable policies, effective regulation and security, noting that these factors are increasingly important to businesses making long-term investment decisions.
Managing Director of BUA Foods Plc, Ayodele Abioye, made the remarks at the 2026 Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) Meet the Governor Series in Lagos.
The event, sponsored by BUA Group, featured Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, who presented his administration’s plans for expanding investment and transforming the state’s economy. It was held under the theme, “Repositioning Abia for Enterprise, Industrialisation and Sustainable Economic Growth.”
Abioye, who spoke on behalf of BUA Group Founder and Executive Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu, said state governments have a major role to play in Nigeria’s economic transformation through infrastructure provision, investment promotion, industrial development and job creation.
He noted that government ambitions would have little impact if investors were not provided with a predictable environment in which to operate.
“Transparency, policy consistency, regulatory certainty, security and infrastructure all matter when businesses are making long-term investment decisions,” he said.
According to the BUA executive, the group’s investment strategy across the country has been driven by the belief that private enterprise and innovation can complement government efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth.
He said stronger partnerships between government and businesses could help expand domestic production, develop local value chains, generate employment and increase economic activity across the states.
Abioye also praised Otti’s administration for its emphasis on infrastructure, enterprise development and institutional reforms, describing the issues discussed at the forum as relevant to other states seeking to attract private capital.
Otti used the occasion to market Abia as an emerging investment destination, declaring that the state was “open for business.”
The governor highlighted investment opportunities in agribusiness, agro-processing, manufacturing, trade, the creative and digital economy, small and medium-sized enterprises, inclusive finance and diaspora investment.
He disclosed that 80 per cent of Abia’s N1.016 trillion 2026 budget had been earmarked for capital expenditure, saying the allocation was part of efforts to provide infrastructure capable of attracting private investors.
“Enterprise needs infrastructure. Roads move goods, light creates safety, and movement creates commerce. Abia is building the physical platform for investments,” Otti said.
He listed livestock and dairy, cashew and cocoa, rubber processing, garment production, ceramics, leather and tannery operations, healthcare, tourism, power, transport and logistics among sectors with investment potential in the state.
President and Chairman of the Council of the NBCC, Prince Abimbola Olashore, said Abia’s long-standing entrepreneurial culture, particularly the commercial and manufacturing strength of Aba, could provide a foundation for further economic expansion.
Olashore, however, said investors also needed reliable infrastructure, security, access to markets, predictable government policies and institutions capable of responding efficiently to business needs.
He described the public and private sectors as partners whose combined efforts could generate lasting economic value.
The forum attracted the British Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter; Lagos Business School economics professor, Prof. Bongo Adi; as well as policymakers, investors and business leaders.
BUA Group’s involvement in the NBCC Meet the Governor Series is part of its support for initiatives designed to strengthen interaction among government, investors and Nigeria’s organised private sector.