Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has highlighted seven priority sectors and investment opportunities to drive industrialisation and economic development in the state.

Otti made this known at the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) “Meet the Governor Series” on Thursday in Lagos.

The event had the theme: “Repositioning Abia for Enterprise, Industrialisation and Sustainable Economic Growth”.

The governor listed the priority sectors as agribusiness and agro-processing, trade and markets, creative and digital economy, manufacturing and industrialisation.

Others are Small and Medium Enterprise growth and the informal sector, inclusive finance, and diaspora investment and innovation.

He said the sectors were designed to leverage Abia’s productive base while creating opportunities for domestic and international capital.

Otti, declaring Abia “open for business”, highlighted reforms in fiscal governance, infrastructure, human capital development and investment opportunities across key sectors.

According to him, the state’s 2026 budget of N1.016 trillion allocates 80 per cent to capital expenditure.

He said internally generated revenue, targeted at N223.4 billion, was expected to fund recurrent obligations.

Otti said the approach was designed to channel external and private capital toward infrastructure and other growth-generating assets.

He said the state had also recorded progress in fiscal transparency, ranking fourth in the BudgIT States Fiscal Transparency League in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Otti said infrastructure development remained central to the state’s strategy of opening up its economy to investors.

He said 414 roads had been completed across the state, while 82 others were ongoing.

The governor added that more than 10,000 solar-powered streetlights had been installed across Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia.

“Enterprise needs infrastructure: roads move goods, light creates safety, movement creates commerce. Abia is building the physical platform for investments,” he said.

Otti said the state’s investment opportunities had been structured across different segments of the value chain.

He said investors could participate at the plantation, processing, manufacturing or off-take levels.

“Under agribusiness and agro-processing, we have identified integrated livestock ranching and dairy, cashew and cocoa plantations, as well as rubber estates and processing.

“In manufacturing and industrialisation, there are opportunities in garment manufacturing, ceramics production and leather and tannery works.

“This is particularly as opportunities exist to scale Aba’s artisan base into formal, higher-volume production,” he said.

Otti also highlighted tourism and hospitality opportunities around Enyimba Hotels, Aba; Umuahia Recreational Park; and Ibom Waterfall.

According to him, opportunities in power, transport and logistics include utilities operation and maintenance and the Azumiri Seaport.

He described the seaport as a potential trade and logistics gateway.

Otti further highlighted the Abia industrial innovation park and economic zone as opportunities for serviced enterprise, industrial and commercial development.

In healthcare, he identified the proposed Abia medical city, specialist hospital and diagnostic centre as opportunities for investment.

He said the projects would support integrated medical and wellness infrastructure in the state.

The governor stressed that investments in education and healthcare were also ongoing because of the workforce required to sustain economic growth.

The NBCC President, Abimbola Olashore, said Abia’s entrepreneurial spirit and Aba’s position as a centre for trade, manufacturing and indigenous enterprise provided a strong foundation for development.

Olashore said the opportunity was to build on these strengths and create an environment where businesses could scale and industries thrive.

He said entrepreneurs also needed an environment that would enable them to formalise and grow.

Olashore stressed that the business community’s ambition must be supported by confidence.

“Investors and businesses require clear and predictable policies, responsive institutions, quality infrastructure, security, access to markets and opportunities for meaningful partnership.

“This is why the relationship between government and the private sector is so important.

“Government creates the enabling environment; the private sector brings capital, innovation, expertise and enterprise. Together, they can create sustainable economic value,” he said.

Olashore reiterated NBCC’s commitment to serving as a bridge between business, government and opportunity.

He said meaningful dialogue must lead to meaningful action following a shared vision for growth and prosperity. (NAN)

From Francis Sadhere, Asaba

No fewer than 6,642 Deltans have applied for recruitment into the Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA), following the approval of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for the employment of new officers into the agency.

The Director-General of DESTMA, Hon.

Dr. Benjamin Essien Okiemute, disclosed this in Asaba while commending the governor for approving the recruitment exercise at a time when organisations and economies across the world are adopting downsizing measures.

Okiemute described the approval as evidence of the Oborevwori administration’s commitment to creating employment opportunities and improving the economic wellbeing of residents of the state.

According to him, the recruitment would strengthen DESTMA’s manpower capacity while providing more Deltans with opportunities to secure gainful employment and contribute to the development of the state.

He said, “Only a people-centred Governor would be magnanimous enough to take more Deltans off the streets and engage them gainfully at a time when most parts of the world are thinking of downsizing. This is a testament to the fact that the renewed hope of the MORE Agenda is at work in our state.”

The DESTMA boss said the recruitment process had been designed to ensure fairness, transparency and credibility, noting that applicants were required to register through an online platform.

He explained that the online application system was adopted to provide equal opportunities for qualified Deltans irrespective of their background or location, while reducing unnecessary interference in the process.

Okiemute urged applicants to remain patient as the Authority reviews the applications and prepares for the next stage of the exercise.

He also issued a strong warning against fraudsters who might attempt to exploit desperate job seekers by demanding money or promising to secure employment slots for them.

The Director-General stressed that no individual had been authorised to sell, allocate or influence employment slots on behalf of DESTMA, advising applicants to report anyone making such claims to the appropriate authorities.

He further clarified that only applicants who successfully meet the requirements at the relevant stages of the recruitment exercise would receive SMS notifications containing information about the screening examination.

Okiemute said the exercise was part of efforts to rebrand and reposition DESTMA by recruiting competent personnel capable of delivering effective and professional traffic management services across the state.

He noted that the objective was not merely to increase the number of officers but to recruit disciplined, responsible and capable personnel who understood the responsibilities associated with wearing the DESTMA uniform.

The Director-General thanked the thousands of applicants for their interest in the exercise, saying the high number of applications reflected the confidence Deltans had in DESTMA and the vision of the present administration.

He, however, cautioned applicants against allowing their desire for employment to make them susceptible to fraudulent schemes, reiterating that the recruitment would be conducted strictly on the principles of merit, transparency and due process.

With the application portal now closed, attention has shifted to the screening phase as DESTMA begins the process of selecting candidates who will form part of its new workforce.

From Attah Ede, Makurdi

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has declared the Benue 2035 Economic Transformation, Capital Formation and Prosperity Summit, with a promise to transform the State industrial hub.

The three-day summit, organized by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) in partnership with Hudson Global, commenced Monday in Makurdi under the theme  From Potential to Prosperity held at Rev.

Father Alia Hall, SEMA, Makurdi, Benue State Capital.

Declaring the summit closed, Governor Alia said Benue possesses the human capacity and abundant resources required to build an economically prosperous state, but stressed that potential must be converted into opportunities, investments, productive activities, jobs and improved living standards.

The Governor said his administration’s responsibility was to create an environment where farmers, businesses and families could thrive through improved security, infrastructure, quality education, healthcare, investment opportunities, productive employment and strong institutions.

Benue State Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia who acknowledged the alignment and solution proffered by the participants, restated that the state has an array of talented, gifted and resilient individuals who can change its fortune.

He particularly lauded the BIPC GMD, describing him as an outstanding citizen that has made great input and impact on the state economy, saying, ‘the state is indebted to you’.

Alia pledged the commitment of his administration to implement the outcome of the summit, positing that the State Economic team will take a critical study of the recommendations with a view to applying it to develop a 30 year plan that will bring out new innovations and ideas that would be approached without anxieties.

Said he, “there are several issues that we have not attended to, that are possible ways the state can grow if looked, half of our anxieties would have been solved. We will walk from potential to actionable plans. There should be sustenance and engagement of the private sector to drive the plans. We must reactivate these efforts and prove ourselves that it is possible to create a new Benue”.

The climax of the event was the signing of the memoranda of Understanding, MOU between Benue Government and the Facilitator Hudson Global Consulting.

Reeling out the key areas, the BIPC Group Managing Director, Dr Raymond Asemakaha said Benue with a population of over 7.3 million people was battling a dysfunctional economy with over 25 percent of arable land underutilized.

He said building pathways from potential to prosperity requires thinking boldly, focus, learn first, build to execute change of lives, adding that job creation, security, power, water and high quality of life should be accorded top priorities.

Asemakaha also said that strategy, solution and implementation is strongly needed to move from vision to execution and ideas to impact.