Governor Alex Otti has attributed Abia State’s emergence as Nigeria’s third most improved state in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index to his administration’s strategic investments in healthcare, education, infrastructure.
Also his governance and the growing collaboration with the Federal Government, including the recent visit of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Speaking during the July edition of his monthly media chat at the Government House, Umuahia, Governor Otti described the latest ranking as a clear validation of his administration’s reforms.

The Governor said the progress reflects the positive impact of government policies on the lives of Abians.
The first Abia citizen noted that Abia has made one of the most remarkable improvements in the country’s performance ranking, rising from 36th position in 2024 to 10th in 2025, and now 3rd in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index, behind only Enugu and Jigawa States.

Governor Otti said the state’s transformation has been driven by sustained investments in critical sectors, particularly healthcare, education, infrastructure, land administration and economic development.

Highlighting achievements in the health sector, he disclosed that Abia recorded one of Nigeria’s best performances in reducing maternal and infant mortality in the first quarter of 2026, while enrolment into the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme continues to increase.

According to him, 144 of the state’s 200 Primary Healthcare Centres have been fully functionalised, while 77 additional health facilities renovated through the World Bank intervention have also been completed, with about 30 more centres expected to become operational soon.

On transportation and infrastructure, Governor Otti announced that the state has received 20 additional electric buses, which would operate on routes including Umuahia–Bende–Arochukwu, Umuahia–Uturu (ABSU), Umuahia–Umudike–Ikwuano, Aba–Owerri and Aba–Ukwa. He added that surveillance systems have been installed in the buses to ensure accountability and improve service delivery.

The Governor further disclosed that work is progressing steadily on the Aba Bus Terminal, while the first phase of the Ekeoma Market remodelling has been completed and would soon be commissioned.
In the area of land administration, Governor Otti said the government has issued 4,923 Certificates of Occupancy within three years, with nearly 1,000 processed this year alone, adding that the completion of the state’s digital mapping project in partnership with UN-Habitat would usher in a fully digitised land administration system that would eliminate fraudulent land transactions and speed up property documentation.

On education, he said the administration’s Smart School initiative is gathering momentum with two Smart Schools already commissioned out of the planned twenty, assuring that the remaining eighteen schools would be completed soon.
“The idea is to expose our children to modern technology from an early stage,” the Governor stated.
Addressing ongoing infrastructure projects, Governor Otti acknowledged that the rainy season has slowed the pace of road construction but assured residents that work continues across major project sites. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ending flooding through the construction of durable drainage infrastructure.

Responding to concerns over rising rents in Umuahia and Aba, the Governor attributed the increase to growing demand for accommodation and announced that the government would soon commence the Pocket Layout Housing Project in Umuahia to bridge the housing deficit.
Governor Otti described the recent visit of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as a major boost to Abia’s creative economy. He revealed that a dedicated bank account has been opened for the Akwete Cloth Production Hub, while the First Lady has authorised the release of the funds she pledged to support the Akwete women’s weaving initiative.
He urged residents to promote indigenous industries by patronising and wearing the locally woven Akwete fabric.

The Governor also commended residents for embracing environmental sanitation, urged them to sustain the culture of cleanliness, praised security agencies for maintaining peace across the state and congratulated the Commissioner of Police on his promotion to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG).

…NYSC Abia State Director Commends Governor Otti’s Support

The strong partnership between the Federal Government’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Abia State Government has received another major boost as Governor Dr. Alex Otti directed the immediate removal of all administrative bottlenecks delaying the implementation of the approved state allowance for Corps members serving in Abia. The Governor gave the directive while receiving the newly deployed Abia State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Alhaji Yunusa Tanimu, at the Government House, Umuahia.

Expressing surprise over the delay despite his earlier approval, Governor Otti stressed that adequate budgetary provisions had already been made and ordered the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development to work with the Head of Service to ensure the immediate commencement of payments.

The Governor recalled that he had previously intervened to resolve issues relating to the verification of Corps members’ Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), insisting that no further administrative hurdle should prevent the implementation of the approved allowance.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to the welfare of Corps members, Governor Otti acknowledged their invaluable contributions to education, healthcare and community development across the state, noting that his government would continue to provide every necessary support to make their service year rewarding.

He also welcomed the new State Coordinator, assuring him that Abia remains a peaceful and hospitable state where every resident is treated as an indigene irrespective of state of origin.

Earlier, the new NYSC State Coordinator, Alhaji Yunusa Tanimu, lauded both the Federal Government’s NYSC Scheme and the Abia State Government for their shared commitment to youth development and national service.

He appealed for the speedy implementation of the approved state allowance and commended Governor Otti for numerous interventions that have significantly improved the welfare of Corps members in the state.

According to him, the NYSC has benefited immensely from the Governor’s people-oriented policies, including the comprehensive renovation of Corps members’ hostels and the multi-purpose hall at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Umunna; construction of internal roads within the camp; installation of solar-powered streetlights; approval of funds for enhanced feeding, generator fueling and orientation logistics; approval of enhanced state allowance for Corps members; provision of a new NYSC State Secretariat; and approval of funds for furnishing the new office.

Alhaji Tanimu further congratulated Governor Otti on his remarkable achievements in infrastructure, economic development, peace and good governance, assuring him that the Federal Government’s NYSC would continue to partner with the Abia State Government in promoting national unity, youth empowerment and sustainable development.

The meeting underscored the importance of the NYSC as one of the Federal Government’s foremost nation-building institutions and highlighted the value of effective collaboration between the Federal and State Governments in improving the welfare of Corps members while enhancing national development.

…Federal Health Ranking: Abia Emerges Among Nigeria’s Best in Maternal, Infant Survival

Abia State has emerged as one of Nigeria’s best performing states in reducing maternal and infant mortality.
This is a landmark achievement attributed to Governor Alex Otti’s sustained investments and far-reaching reforms in the healthcare sector.

The recognition was announced during the State Executive Council weekly press briefing by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu.
Following the release of the Federal Ministry of Health’s First Quarter Performance Dialogue,the nation’s flagship accountability platform that brings together federal health authorities, commissioners for health from the 36 states and development partners to evaluate health sector performance and monitor key indicators.

According to the report, Abia has recorded remarkable improvements in maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, disclosed that the state recorded only one maternal death in the first quarter of 2026, maintaining the figure achieved in the last quarter of 2025, while neonatal mortality declined from nine to seven, placing Abia among Nigeria’s leading performers in maternal and child health.

The achievement reflects the impact of Governor Alex Otti’s deliberate investment in rebuilding the state’s healthcare system through the revitalisation of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), expansion of health insurance coverage, digital healthcare innovation and improved access to quality medical services.

Under the first phase of Project Ekwueme, the state is revitalising 200 Primary Healthcare Centres alongside 77 World Bank-supported IMPACT PHCs. So far, 139 facilities have been fully functionalised, while 50 are currently being equipped and the remaining centres are nearing completion.
The upgraded facilities now provide modern equipment, improved maternal and child healthcare services, and digital health infrastructure that is transforming healthcare delivery across the state.
The state’s Digital Health Project is equally recording impressive milestones, with over 9,136 patients onboarded across nine public hospitals within the last three months, while enrolment into the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme has surged from 40,000 beneficiaries in December 2024 to 225,581 as of July 2026, reflecting growing public confidence in the government’s healthcare reforms.

Further demonstrating its leadership in public health innovation, Abia is spearheading a regional collaboration involving Anambra, Delta and Akwa Ibom States to domesticate a digital immunisation tracking system that links children’s vaccination records with other social data to strengthen disease surveillance, improve healthcare planning and ensure seamless access to immunisation records.

Prince Kanu also disclosed that rehabilitation work at Obingwa General Hospital has reached an advanced stage, with state-of-the-art medical equipment, Digital Health and Telehealth facilities currently being installed ahead of commissioning.
Beyond healthcare, the State Executive Council highlighted notable achievements across justice delivery, social protection and sports development.
The government recorded significant successes in protecting vulnerable citizens with the successful prosecution and conviction of two child sexual offenders through the NCHEDO Sexual Assault Referral Centre, reinforcing the administration’s zero-tolerance policy against sexual and gender-based violence. Government has also established a Sex Offenders Register at the Ministry of Justice to serve as a deterrent and strengthen accountability.

The Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection continues to expand support for vulnerable residents through medical and humanitarian interventions, while also providing assistance to the family of the late nursing student, Wendy Achumba.
In sports, six talented young footballers discovered during the Abia Dreamland Under-19 Cup have secured opportunities with European football partners. The Abia State Volleyball Team has returned to the Nigerian Volleyball Premier League after 23 years, while Abia Angels Football Club has qualified for the Nigerian Women’s Football League Super Six for the first time in its history.

Professor Uche urged residents to complement government efforts by observing proper food hygiene and safety practices to prevent food borne diseases, stressing that maintaining clean food preparation environments and safe drinking water remains essential to protecting public health.

The latest Federal Ministry of Health ranking underscores the success of Governor Alex Otti’s people-centred governance, demonstrating that strategic investments in healthcare infrastructure, digital innovation, skilled manpower and primary healthcare can significantly improve health outcomes and enhance the quality of life for citizens.