Otti Targets Seven Sectors to Attract Investment Capital to Abia

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has identified seven key sectors for investment to boost industrialization and economic growth. Speaking at the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce's Meet the Governor Series in Lagos, Otti highlighted agribusiness and agro-processing, trade and markets, digital and creative economy, manufacturing and industrialization, small and medium enterprise expansion, inclusive finance and diaspora investment, and innovation as the priority sectors.

Since taking office 39 months ago, Otti's administration has focused on eliminating barriers to productivity and fostering value creation to make Abia more attractive to investors. The state’s 2026 budget, amounting to N1.016 trillion, allocates 80% to capital expenditure, the highest per-resident spending in the country. Abia is projected to generate N223.4 billion in internally generated revenue, sufficient to cover recurrent expenses.

The state is ranked fourth in the BudgIT States Fiscal Transparency League for fiscal transparency in Q4 2025. Otti also emphasized the state's infrastructure development, with 414 roads completed and 82 under construction, along with over 10,000 solar-powered streetlights installed in Aba, Umuahia, and Ohafia. The governor noted that Abia had the lowest cost of public transportation per kilometer in the country due to investments in road networks and green shuttle buses.

NBCC President Abimbola Olashore highlighted Aba's manufacturing heritage as a strong foundation for industrial growth but stressed that investors require predictable policies, functional institutions, and quality infrastructure before committing capital.