Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has urged investors to take advantage of the emerging opportunities in the state, declaring that the government’s reforms and infrastructure investments are laying the foundation for sustained economic growth.
Otti made the call on September 10, 2026, while delivering a keynote address at the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) “Meet the Governor Series” in Lagos, where he outlined his administration’s efforts to transform Abia into a regional investment destination.
The governor said sustainable development could not be achieved by government alone, stressing that private-sector participation remained critical to translating public investments into jobs, innovation and improved living standards.
“Long-term development happens on the foundation of government-private sector partnerships,” Otti said, adding that while government must provide critical infrastructure, institutional reforms and security, “none of these can independently guarantee improved standard of living for the populace unless the private sector steps in to set up business ventures that create jobs and improve opportunities through innovation.”
According to him, development occurs when private businesses are sufficiently encouraged to leverage public-sector investments in ways that generate shared prosperity.
“Development in our view is what happens when the private sector is sufficiently motivated to take advantage of public sector investments to pursue its corporate goals in ways that create prosperity for all,” he said.
Otti said his administration had spent the last three years rebuilding Abia as a destination for investment, arguing that government should focus on creating the right conditions for investors rather than spending excessively on publicity-driven investment campaigns.
“Much of what we have done in Abia in the last 3 years is to rebuild our State into a regional magnet for the inflow of investment capital,” he said.
“I had long dismissed the popular but barely-effective pattern of making the pursuit of investors a standalone project with extensive outlays for travels, logistics and international media overreach. Investors, whether local or foreign, need not be cajoled with expensive razmataz to see opportunities when they are real; they have their independent tracking system and need not be told when to pay attention.”
The governor said investors were naturally wary of uncertainty and would only commit capital where basic conditions such as infrastructure, security and responsive institutions were guaranteed.
“Capital as we know it, has a cowardly disposition with extreme aversion to uncertainty. It will only move when certain fundamentals are guaranteed and these include quality infrastructure, security of lives and property and ultimately, responsive institutions,” Otti said.
He said his administration consequently prioritised the rehabilitation of roads and other public infrastructure, particularly in major commercial centres, as part of efforts to reconnect communities and restore confidence among businesses.
“We took on long-abandoned roads in our important business hubs and fixed them to announce our intention,” he said.
Otti, however, acknowledged that road construction alone could not deliver comprehensive development, noting that his government simultaneously tackled environmental sanitation and insecurity.
He said the administration inherited a situation in which criminal groups had established control over community assets in at least two local government areas, prompting the government to take decisive action.
“Right from the inauguration podium, we made it clear that not one inch of our territory shall be yielded to non-state actors, whatever their persuasion,” he said.
“Two options were placed on the table: denounce criminality and become law abiding or quietly pack your bag and leave Abia for good.”
According to Otti, his administration subsequently launched a joint security task force, codenamed “operation crush,” with a mandate to protect residents, businesses and property.
“The well-motivated and equipped team had an express mandate: use every legitimate instrument at your disposal to defend the right of our people to go about their lawful businesses, own property and pursue their dreams as guaranteed in our laws. And it followed our instruction to the letter.”
He said the combined impact of infrastructure renewal, environmental cleanup and improved security had begun to change the perception of the state and restore optimism among residents.
“In the weeks that followed, a new sense of optimism began to unfold, residents could actually see the bulldozers and payloaders working in their neighbourhoods, news of violent crimes began to thin out and subsequently, a new identity of Abia started unfolding,” he said.
Otti cautioned, however, against portraying Abia as a fully transformed state after only 39 months in office, saying his administration had instead concentrated on establishing a strong foundation for sustained development.
“At any rate, it would be untrue to suggest that we have built a model State in only 39 months; what we have simply done is to set a strong foundation to carry the weight of public expectations,” he said.
The governor said the administration remained focused on multiple development indicators, including roads, environmental sanitation, healthcare, human capital development and electricity reforms.
He also cited independent data from development and policy-monitoring organisations as evidence of progress, saying BudgIT and Phillips Consulting had indicated that Abia committed the highest resources per resident to capital expenditure based on available national expenditure figures.
Otti attributed the performance partly to the state’s budgetary priorities, saying, “we allocate at the minimum, 80% of the entire outlay to capital expenditure.”
He said the state’s 15 percent budgetary allocation to healthcare had also contributed to Abia ranking highest nationally in health emergency preparedness, according to data from SBM Intelligence.
Otti further said Phillips Consulting had rated Abia favourably on security and public education, while the state had maintained the first position nationwide for two consecutive years in the Senior School Certificate Examination for internal candidates conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The governor also highlighted Abia’s business environment, saying the state was performing well in Ease of Doing Business and support for local enterprises.
He said the cost of public transportation in the state was the lowest in Nigeria when measured by expenditure per kilometre of commute on regular transport vehicles.
According to Otti, investments in roads and electric buses were helping to reduce transportation costs and, by extension, the operating expenses of businesses.
“Our transport infrastructure investments is crashing overhead costs for businesses, improving turnaround time and ultimately adding to net profits,” he said.
He added that businesses that had previously left the state were returning, while young professionals and school leavers were increasingly coming back to explore opportunities.
“Beyond the findings of credible institutional data analysts, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), routine observations in the streets of Aba, Umuahia and other parts of the State tell very encouraging stories; businesses that left the State years ago are returning back, school leavers and young professionals can now confidently come home to explore opportunities for career growth, occupancy rate at rental property is at an all-time high and in most urban destinations, business hours now stretch long into the night, impacting the velocity of money positively and creating prosperity for hardworking men and women.”
Otti said Abia’s strongest advantage remained the resilience, enterprise and work ethic of its people, particularly the business community in Aba.
He described the survival of family-owned businesses through decades of political and social upheavals as evidence of the entrepreneurial strength of the state.
“When, therefore, you invest in our State, you are not only guaranteed a safe operational environment, you can also take it for granted that you will find a team of lieutenants willing to run through bricks for the success of your venture,” he said.
The governor argued that the combination of lower operating costs, an expanding consumer market and increased economic activity made Abia an attractive destination for cost-conscious investors.
“In Abia therefore, you will not only find a robust market, you will also encounter a rare level of optimism amongst the population and the implication for growth is boundless,” he said.
Otti also cited recent investments as evidence that major investors were already responding to the opportunities emerging in the state.
He disclosed that a multi-million-dollar facility established by a regional investment group with operations across Africa had commenced production and sales of beverage products after taking root in Abia in 2023.
He also referenced a planned $200 million investment by a national agro-industrial company in a 14,000-hectare oil palm plantation and processing plant in the state.
The governor further highlighted the $263.8 million Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project, launched by the African Development Bank and partners, including the Islamic Development Bank and the Canada-African Development Bank-Climate Fund.
According to him, the project will support the rehabilitation of 248 kilometres of roads in Aba and Umuahia, modernise urban infrastructure, improve public transportation and support the state’s waste-to-wealth programme.
Otti said the investments demonstrated that major economic players and development financiers were already recognising Abia’s potential.
“Undoubtably, major economic players and financiers have seen the opportunities and promises that Abia holds. As expected of returns-seeking economic agents, they have quietly moved in to sow their seeds for guaranteed harvest,” he said.
He consequently challenged other investors to consider Abia before opportunities in the state become more competitive.
“Again, we return to the question we asked earlier: where would you rather invest?” Otti asked.
“My informed advice would be a direct one: invest in Abia; invest today.”
