Abia State, in south-eastern Nigeria, was created in 1991 from the eastern half of former Imo state, with Umuahia as the capital. Aba is its largest commercial city. The state is bordered by Enugu and Ebonyi to the north, Akwa Ibom to the east and southeast, Rivers to the south and southwest, as well as Imo and Anambra states to the west.
The state comprises large areas of oil-palm bush and tropical rain forest in its southern part and woodland Savanna in its hilly north. It has adequate seasonal rainfall that makes agriculture a thriving occupation in which most of the population engages.
Abia is more of arable land that produces yam, maize, potatoes, rice, cashew, plantain, taro and cassava. Most of these, especially yam, cassava, maize, rice and plantain, are the staple crops, while oil palm is the main cash crop. Abia is ranked the fourth largest crude oil producing state in Nigeria. Crude oil and gas constitute its most utilised natural resources and constitutes about 35 percent of its Gross Domestic Product. Eleven new oil wells were recently discovered in the state.
The Abia State government encourages the development of industries, especially medium and small enterprises (SMEs) for which Aba, its business hub, is known. Aba is also among the highly industrialised cities in Nigeria, which used to host popular glass, textile, brewing, shoe-making, food processing industries. Manufacturing activities in the areas of industrial chemical, pharmaceuticals, machinery, foundry, cable and wire exist in Aba, though at a lower scale now. Leatherworks, bags and shoes are exported from Aba.
Its strategic location among the major commercial cities of the South-East and coastal cities of the South-South with active, well-connected airports, has put Aba on Nigeria’s map of the fastest industrial and economic developing city. Aba town records a huge influx of traders, distributors and investors from within and outside the country. This makes transportation a major business line in the state. With a new power plant being built in the city, it will soon rebound to its highly industrialised status years back.
Natural Resources
Crude oil, limestone, gypsum, natural gas, laterite, lead-zinc, granite, sharp sand, tar sand exist in the state in large quantities.
Tourist Sites:
• National War Museum and Ojukwu Bunker in Umuahia.
• Amakama Wooden Cave, Amakama – Umuahia
• The Long JuJu of Arochukwu
• Arochukwu Cave
• Azumini Blue River
• Museum of Colonial History, Aba,
• Mbonu-Emerem Museum of Arts in Aba.
• The Museum of Antiquities Ujari – Arochukwu
• Akwete Weaving Centre,
Agriculture and Rural Development
To boost agriculture and rural development, the state government is embarking on countryside infrastructure projects, such as roads and rural electricity with focus on the enhancement of MSMEs for job creation, food security and raw materials. The government is partnering with the Government of France for development of MSMEs as well as the Enyimba Economic City project in Aba. At the Livestock Summit organised by the French Embassy in Nigeria this year, the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, disclosed the state’s plan to embark on livestock farming with specific focus on Efi-Igbo (the local breed of cattle found in the South-East zone).
FACT-FILE
LGA: 17
Land area: 2,440sq mi.
Registered businesses: 3,462
Public primary schools: 1,610 circa.
Public secondary schools: 655 circa.
University (6): Federal – 1, state – 1, private – 4
Polytechnic (5): State – 1, private – 4
College of Education (3): State -1, private – 2
College of Arts and Science: 1
Nursing School: State – 4
School of Midwifery: State – 4
Technical School: State – 1
Total Revenue: N62.74bn @ 2020
Total Tax: N 11.20bn
Total IGR: N14.37bn @ 2020 (22.91% of total revenue)
FAAC: N48.36bn @ 2020 (77.09% of total revenue)
Domestic Debt: N89.13bn @ 2020
External Debt: $96.79m @ 2020
Unemployment rate: 31.6% @ 2020
Abia to Transform Into Industrial Hub
The Abia State Government describes a thriving entrepreneurship industry and agricultural base as the foundation for the creation of a potentially viable industrial hub. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu said this when he met with the African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Akinwumi Adesina, at the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire last year to discuss investment for Abia to help boost job creation and enhance livelihoods.
“Our vision is to leverage the capacity of our people to become the SME capital of Nigeria. Our people are industrious and innovative. For instance, our people are known as top players in the leather industry. We have a new shoe factory that is producing over 50,000 shoes. We particularly need the Bank’s help to address the State’s infrastructure deficit,” ESI Africa quoted the governor to have said.
With a population of over 2.8 million, Abia State is looking to the Bank to help make Enyimba Economic City (EEC), an ambitious economic hub, a reality. The State government’s goal is to transform the region into a manufacturing and industrial power house and create 700,000 jobs over five years.
The project, presented at the Bank’s 2019 Africa Investment Forum, has received significant investor interest, officials said. Other investment interests include a waste-to-energy project.
The Bank’s support was also sought to facilitate the Abia State Integrated Infrastructural Project which is designed to develop massive infrastructure in the State, especially in the commercial city of Aba and the State capital of Umuahia.
Adesina said that Abia State had huge potential in agro-processing and human resources. “The bank’s role is to support governments like yours to transform their economies and create jobs,” he said.
Ikpeazu also requested the bank’s support for the development of key agricultural value chains, including palm oil, rice, cocoa, cassava, maize and cashew that would also create jobs for women and youth.
“Over the years, Aba has evolved as a centre of entrepreneurship and SMEs. The city has the potential to be a competitive industrial hub for Nigeria and for Africa. For this reason, the Bank will continue to support your vision,” Adesina concluded.
Since the Bank Group commenced operations in Nigeria in 1971, it has invested about $74.5 million in the State, across four critical sectors of power and energy (53 percent); education (25 percent); health (15 percent); and transport (7 percent).
In the years to come, the state will continue to be a key beneficiary of the bank’s support with the planned Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project and the Enyimba Economic City.
Challenging Factors: Insecurity, gully erosion, poor road network and power supply, excesses of revenue officials, land constraints.
Endowment And Investment Opportunities:
*** BY SAM DIALA & OLAYEMI SHABA
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