Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has said his administration is repositioning the state from conventional trading to manufacturing and technology-driven digital commerce, urging Ndigbo to embrace technology to remain competitive in the global economy.
The governor’s position was contained in a statement issued on Monday, September 28, 2026, by his Chief Press Secretary, Ctz. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, following Otti’s address at the Igbo Day Lecture and Dinner organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.
The event, themed “The Igbo Charter and Development of Ala Igbo,” provided the platform for Otti to outline his administration’s economic strategy, particularly its efforts to move Abia beyond conventional physical markets towards manufacturing and digital commerce.
Responding to concerns over the growing presence of Chinese traders competing with Igbo entrepreneurs in retail businesses in Lagos, Otti said Abia was deliberately moving away from dependence on conventional trading.
“We are leaving that place of trading. In Abia, we have markets; the markets are important. But we are moving from the market to manufacturing. So, this Government is supporting manufacturing. We are driving digital delivery. We are leaving that physical store for digital delivery. So, when somebody talked about Alibaba, that’s exactly where we are headed,” Otti said.
The governor said the transition would enable Abia entrepreneurs to compete in the global marketplace rather than remain dependent on physical stores and conventional trading.
“So, why are the Chinese coming to compete with us? We are moving away from there. And it’s going to start in Abia. So, Abia is both manufacturing and then trading. But we are moving from conventional trading to digital trading. That’s where the world is going. You either embrace it or you risk being left behind,” he stated.
According to Ukoha, Otti also highlighted his administration’s investment in digital skills training for young people through the TechRise initiative, saying beneficiaries were already securing opportunities with major global technology companies.
“When I spend money here training my young people in digital technology under the TechRise initiative, I know what I am doing. Some of them are already working for Google and Amazon from Aba,” Otti said.
“So, you resist technology at your own risk. We are not afraid because we are moving that part of business to technology,” he added.
Ukoha said the governor, while assuring the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo of his administration’s support, described the theme of the celebration, “Njikọ Ka,” meaning “Unity is Supreme,” as appropriate, stressing the importance of unity in diversity.
The Chief Press Secretary quoted Otti as saying his administration had laid a solid foundation for Abia’s transformation and expressed confidence that the state would continue to witness significant development.
“We have retrieved and recovered our State. And the only way to go is up. Once you have laid the foundation, the only way to go is up,” Otti affirmed.
In his keynote address delivered virtually, Chairman of the Igbo Charter Committee for Strategic Engagement for National Development, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, called for the Igbo Charter to be separated from partisan politics and adopted as a non-partisan roadmap for development based on merit, accountability and measurable targets.
Moghalu identified the promotion of the Igbo language, creation of a digital marketplace, stronger diaspora engagement, improved security and investment, and a shift from dependence on remittances to productive investments as key priorities.
He also advocated true federalism, equitable citizenship and devolution of power, urging Ndigbo to move from discussions to practical implementation. He described Governor Otti as “one of our best.”
Ukoha further reported that the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, said the Igbo Lecture and Dinner was convened to harness the collective strength of Ndigbo through a unified development strategy.
Azuta-Mbata said that despite the individual brilliance, enterprise and resilience of Ndigbo, the people were yet to fully realise their collective potential.
He said the Igbo Charter for Strategic Engagement for National Development, authored by more than 67 Igbo technocrats and business leaders, provides a documented framework for engaging the Nigerian state and the wider world.
The Ohanaeze leader said the Charter proposes measures to protect Igbo culture, particularly the Igbo language, and suggested that Igbo should be made compulsory in primary and secondary schools across Igboland.
He also called on the Federal Government to find a political solution to the case involving Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, urged Ndigbo to unite and take greater responsibility for the development of Ala Igbo.
“We must look forward to building a brighter future, moving beyond complaining about those who won’t give us our due, to taking our destiny in our own hands,” Ugochukwu said.
He commended Governor Otti for what he described as good governance in Abia and praised the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for sustaining the annual observance of Igbo Day.
The event featured a panel discussion moderated by Chief Enyinnaya Onukalu and was attended by the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, members of the clergy and Ndigbo from different walks of life.
