Governor Otti Backs Private Sector-Led Abia Stadium City To Drive Economic Growth
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to partnering with credible private investors in the development of the over due Abia Stadium City project, a sports,
business, and tourism hub designed to boost the state’s economy and create sustainable growth.
Governor Otti made this known while receiving a delegation from the Irish Development Group (IDG), led by its Managing Director, Mr. Nigel Neely, who presented the master plan for the proposed multi-functional complex. The project is set to span a 96-hectare site in Umuahia and aims to position Abia as a leading destination for sports and tourism in Nigeria.
Highlighting the state’s ongoing efforts, Governor Otti emphasized the importance of attracting investors with both the financial capacity and long-term commitment to Abia’s development.
He noted that the state government intends to retain only a minimal equity stake—around 10 to 20% to ensure the project’s sustainability beyond his administration.
“We’ve been pushing hard on this because we know what we want to achieve,” Otti said. “If the private sector leads, then the project will outlive any administration and remain sustainable.”
So, just looking at these highlights (the presentation), I know that the devil is in the details. It looks like something that can work. We have it out already, and I’m happy you have even gone ahead to inspect the site.
“So now, if it’s largely private sector-held, then even when I’m not here tomorrow, they will run well. because it also has to be sustainable.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the site chosen for the project, citing its strategic location and proximity to the state’s new airport. He also assured that the government is addressing power infrastructure by acquiring the Umuahia ring-fenced network from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company to ensure reliable electricity supply to the area.
“I think we’re now going to sit down and drill down the real issues around the details. Like , they said, the devil may be in the details.
“Where do we find the money? How much is it going to cost? In what tranches are they going to come? And, who is going to own it? As a government, we want to maintain minimum share holding, Gov. Otti stated.
As you were making your presentation, I said, yes, that is exactly my impression about the place. We had a lot of options but we chose that place. One, it’s not inside, its not too far. And then, the airport that we have just started, is also not too far.
“And those are some of the attractions. You want to get to a stadium, or a stadium village, because, there’s a stadium. So you have good accommodation, you can do your shopping, you can go on holiday.
“Originally, we had a games village exactly where the airport is sitting now. And we took a decision that the airport and the games village should not be at the same place.
“And even for the people, it would make more sense to just get to the stadium and everything you want to do is around there. So, that’s what I’ve deducted from this presentation, which I think works, Gov. Otti noted.
In his presentation, Mr. Neely described the Abia Stadium City as a transformative initiative featuring a world-class stadium, high-performance training centre, smart residential housing, hospitality and tourism zones, and more. He praised Governor Otti’s vision and expressed optimism about the project’s impact on the state’s economy and global reputation.
Key government officials, including the Commissioners for Youth and Sports and Finance, were present at the briefing, signaling the administration’s readiness to move forward with detailed planning and partnership structuring.
