Abia State is set to attract national and international attention as it hosts the 27th Africando Trade Conference from November 17 to 19, 2026, in Umuahia, the state capital.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this at Government House, Umuahia, while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu said the conference, organised by the Foundation for Democracy in Africa (FDA) in collaboration with the Abia Global Chamber of Commerce, would be the first time the United States-Africa Trade and Investment Conference was being held on African soil.
The Commissioner described the event as a significant economic opportunity for Abia, noting that investors from the United States would converge on Umuahia to engage with Nigerian and other African businesses and explore opportunities for trade and investment.
According to him, the conference would provide a platform for the state to showcase its investment opportunities and connect Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises with international investors.
He added that State Ministries, Agencies and Local Government Areas would also showcase their respective investment potentials, while Governor Otti would formally declare the conference open.
The Commissioner attributed Abia’s selection as host to the Otto led administration’s infrastructure development drive and efforts to create a business-friendly environment.
He further explained that the conference would enable businesses in the state to explore opportunities under the United States-inspired African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides eligible African countries with preferential access to the American market.
Beyond investment opportunities, Prince Kanu said the conference was expected to generate economic benefits for the state, particularly for hotels, restaurants, transport operators and other businesses that would benefit from increased patronage during the event.
The Commissioner announced that preparations were underway for the Third Aba International Trade Fair, scheduled to hold from November 27 to December 6, 2026, at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, along Aba-Owerri Road.
The fair, themed, “Aba Beyond Borders: Driving Innovation, Trade and Industrial Growth”, is being organised in collaboration with the Abia State Ministry of Trade and Commerce and the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA).
Prince Kanu said the event would feature key sectors, including footwear and leather works, fashion and apparel, food and agro-products, manufacturing, industrial goods, photovoltaic technology and renewable energy.
He said the fair was aimed at strengthening Aba’s position as a leading commercial and industrial centre in the South-East and Nigeria.
“The 3rd Aba International Trade Fair promises to signpost Aba as a real commercial hub of the South-East and Nigeria as a whole”, he said.
