The Abia State Government on Thursday convened the Abia Business Roundtable 2026, a high-level engagement platform aimed at deepening collaboration between Government and the organised Private Sector to stimulate investment, promote sustainable economic growth and fast-track the State’s economic transformation.
The roundtable, themed “Government Meets Business: Where Vision Meets Enterprise”, brought together captains of industry, development partners, Financial Institutions and key Stakeholders across strategic sectors of the economy.
The event was chaired by the State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, who also serves as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Investment Promotion Office.
Speaking at the event held at the International Conference Center, Umuahia, Governor Otti who titled his speech, “Opportunities, Partnership and Prosperity“, explained that the Abia Business Roundtable was designed to ensure that government policies reflect the expectations of the Private Sector Stakeholders.
The Governor while declaring that Abia is open for business, noted that insights from Breakout Sessions and Panel Discussions would be evaluated and incorporated into the State’s policy design.
“The overarching goal is to create a body of public sector policies that are aligned to the genuine expectations of the Private Sector Stakeholders”, he said.
Governor Otti said that the his government deliberately chose to play a leading role in rebuilding the State’s economic foundations in order to attract private investment and restore business confidence.
The Governor noted that while the global debate on the role of government in economic management remains unresolved, his administration has adopted a pragmatic middle course that prioritises incentives, infrastructure and stability rather than direct control of businesses.
He explained that government’s responsibility is to create a system that protects investors’ legitimate interests and signals long-term stability.
“At any rate, we hold strongly to the view that there is a clear role for government in business, but we are also reluctant to agree that it is the obligation of government to directly run business.
“The express role of the government is to create a system of incentives that sends definite signals to investors that their legitimate interests can be protected over the long haul within the territory”, Governor Otti stated.
The Governor further explained that upon assumption of office, his administration identified poor road infrastructure, insecurity, unreliable power supply and multiple taxation as the major constraints to private sector participation.
He said that restoring hope and rebuilding business confidence is his administration’s principal task, noting that the State committed more than 80 per cent of its annual budgets in 2024, 2025 and 2026 to capital projects, particularly in road infrastructure.
Governor Otti disclosed that the State also introduced a six-month tax holiday for small businesses to reduce barriers to productivity and encourage enterprise.
The Governor added that the prompt payment of workers and contractors is a deliberate policy to stimulate economic activity.
He disclosed that at the recent State Executive Council retreat, real estate, solid mineral development, hospitality and ICT were identified as the next growth frontiers and reiterated strong interest in manufacturing and agriculture, particularly value addition across cultivation, storage, processing and export chains.
The Governor assured investors that the State would continue to deepen infrastructure development, Human Capital Investment and encouraged them to engage with the Public-Private Partnership and Investment Promotion Office to facilitate seamless collaboration.
The Former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Mrs Nonye Rajis-Okpara, in her goodwill message lauded Governor Otti’s credibility and leadership, recalling his role in strengthening investor confidence during his banking career at Diamond Bank.
Mrs Nonye Rajis-Okpara
She explained how his engagement with Singaporean Stakeholders helped reposition Nigeria as a viable investment destination.
She reaffirmed her commitment to leveraging international networks to attract investors to Abia, particularly in mechanised agriculture and agro-processing, with the goal of building sustainable enterprises that will create jobs and long-term economic growth for the State.
Also, the National Team Lead of the Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE), Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuoke, disclosed that the organisation has developed a comprehensive Guide to Accessing Climate Finance to support governments and eco-friendly businesses in assessing their preparedness and positioning themselves to secure global climate funding opportunities.
He disclosed that Abia State has conducted a climate finance readiness assessment, with five businesses already matched with potential investors, positioning the State as a leader in green growth initiatives such as e-mobility.
Chief David Ogba-Onuoha
Speaking on behalf of the Aba business community, Chief David Ogba-Onuoha commended Governor Otti for fostering collaboration between government and the private sector noting that infrastructure development and reforms by the State Government has signaled that Abia is open for investment.
Ogba-Onuoha who stressed that economic prosperity depends on an enabling environment built on transparency, discipline and investor confidence, urged a stronger focus on industrial clusters, technology-driven enterprises and modern infrastructure to unlock Aba’s full potential as a manufacturing and innovation hub in West Africa.
Earlier in his opening remarks, DG/CEO, Public Private Partnership and Investment Promotion, Mr Chinedum Chijioke described the roundtable as a practical engagement to refine policies, remove barriers and build long-term partnerships that will drive shared prosperity and position Abia as a leading investment hub in the region.
He assured investors that the PPP and Investment Promotion Office will mitigate risks, streamline approvals, strengthen investor after-care and ensure sustainable project delivery.
The Abia Business Roundtable 2026 featured breakout sessions focused on key sectors of the state’s economic transformation, as well as a question-and-answer session with Governor Otti.
