Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has announced plans to launch an integrated campaign to promote Made-in-Aba products, particularly fashion and lifestyle goods, as part of the State government’s strategy to expand opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
Governor Otti disclosed this on Wednesday, at the Enyimba Stadium Aba, during the graduation ceremony of 4,000 youths from the Fashion Future Programme (FFP); a skills development and entrepreneurship initiative driven by Ethnocentrique Limited,in collaboration with AbIa State Government and supported by the MasterCard Foundation.
The Governor noted that the campaign to promote made in Aba products is a critical step towards strengthening the state’s manufacturing base and enhancing its global competitiveness.
“In the next few weeks, we shall roll out an integrated campaign to promote made-in-India products, especially Aba fashion and lifestyle accessories.
“This campaign will align the creative genius of our local entrepreneurs and the extensive economic benefits of their offering over foreign competition.
“I have also directed that funds be allocated to develop and maintain the production hubs around the state, especially in Aba.
“You can also be sure that the fashion industry will be a prime beneficiary because we are mindful of our comparative advantage in this regard”, he said.
Governor Otti disclosed plans to expand the Fashion Future Programme to accommodate more beneficiaries in subsequent phases, with a target of up to 8,000 participants within the next year.
The Governor also further revealed that the state government would invest in upgrading production hubs across Aba and other parts of the state to support the growth of the fashion industry, which he described as a key area of comparative advantage.
“In the same vein, I have also directed that every resource that is required to get the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company (ENASCO) facility running at full capacity be deployed immediately. Our target is the expansion of economic opportunities in the state, the creation of employment and wealth for our people.
“Our government will make sure that this happens because this is one of the ways to empower our people to ensure that unemployment is reduced, poverty level is reduced, the gross domestic product is increased”, he said.
Governor Otti called on investors to take advantage of emerging opportunities in Aba, noting that improvements in infrastructure, security, and the overall business environment have positioned the commercial hub for growth and profitability.
He urged the graduates to maximise the opportunities provided by the programme and extend their knowledge to others, stressing that inclusive growth depends on collective participation and continuous skills development.
Earlier in her speech, the CEO of Ethnocentrique Limited, Mrs. Irunna Ejibe-Isichei, described the Fashion Future Programme as a transformative platform driving Aba’s emergence as a production hub for Africa and global markets.
Mrs Ejibe-Isichei highlighted tangible outcomes from the initiative, including partnerships, activated business deals and strong collaboration between the private and public sectors and commended the Mastercard Foundation as well as the Abia State Government for their support.
She revealed that the programme has already generated over 10,000 jobs and holds the potential to generate up to $10 billion in exports, create about 100,000 employment opportunities l and expressed confidence that continued investment in skills development, infrastructure, and systems would position Aba for large-scale production and export growth.
Out of the 4,000 graduands of the FFP, 250 were persons living with special needs, all of whom received training across various segments of the fashion value chain, including design, production, enterprise development and market access.
The programme also featured the presentation of Nigerian Skills Qualification Certificates to the graduands.
