The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has commended the administration of Governor Alex C. Otti for significant improvements in Abia State’s industrial and business environment, citing developments in infrastructure, electricity, transportation, urban renewal, healthcare, education and enterprise support.
The commendation was made when the leadership of MAN’s Abia/Imo and Rivers/Bayelsa Chapters paid a courtesy visit to Governor Otti at his office in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

MAN’s Abia/Imo Chairman, Prince Obasi Ekeagbara, said manufacturers were already witnessing positive changes across several sectors of the State.
The recognition provides an important assessment of the administration’s economic direction, particularly its effort to shift Abia from an economy driven largely by trading and consumption towards one increasingly anchored on production, manufacturing, investment, employment and export competitiveness.

At the centre of the administration’s industrial agenda is the rebuilding of the infrastructure and policy environment required for businesses to operate, expand and compete.
According to MAN, improvements in roads, power, transportation, urban renewal and other critical sectors are beginning to address some of the longstanding constraints faced by manufacturers in Aba and other parts of the State.

Of particular significance is the administration’s drive to revive moribund industrial assets, including the Enyimba Garment Factory, Star Paper Mill and Afro Beverages.
MAN described the revival of such industries as a positive development capable of stimulating economic activity and creating employment, while also strengthening confidence among existing and prospective investors.

The administration has been pursuing improved power supply for industrial operators, including engagement around dedicated electricity through Geometric Power.

For Aba, whose entrepreneurial and manufacturing identity is deeply connected with small and medium-scale production, reliable electricity is critical to reducing operating costs, improving productivity and enabling businesses to compete more effectively.
The administration has also pursued improved access to finance through its partnership with the Bank of Industry. The Abia State Government has provided counterpart funding for a ₦10 billion BOI matching-fund initiative designed to support businesses across various sectors, with the first phase structured around government and BOI contributions.

Another aspect of the emerging business environment is the administration’s drive to harmonise taxation and eliminate multiple taxation. For manufacturers, greater clarity and predictability in revenue administration are essential to investment planning and long-term business decisions.

Governor Otti has equally warned businesses against making cash payments to unauthorised persons, stressing the need for a transparent revenue-collection system.
Beyond infrastructure, electricity and finance, the administration is seeking to strengthen the wider industrial ecosystem through platforms such as the Aba Trade Fair and the Export Growth Lab, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which is aimed at helping local producers improve product quality, packaging and competitiveness.

The administration’s position is that government should create the infrastructure, policy direction and enabling environment, while the private sector provides capital, innovation, production capacity and market discipline.

Governor Otti, while receiving the MAN delegation, challenged manufacturers to improve the quality, scale and competitiveness of locally produced goods and position them for wider domestic and international markets.

He urged businesses to take advantage of the opportunities being created by government while ensuring that their products meet acceptable standards.

The MAN delegation, however, also highlighted the broader challenges confronting manufacturers, including high energy costs, inflationary pressures, limited access to foreign exchange, financing difficulties, insecurity and demands from host communities.
The association consequently called for continued efforts to revive more moribund industries, establish industrial clusters across the three senatorial zones, strengthen action against unauthorised levies and provide additional support for distressed industries seeking to return to full production.

The recommendations align with the wider industrialisation agenda already unfolding in the State and underscore the need for sustained collaboration between government and the organised private sector.

For Abia, the significance of the MAN commendation extends beyond a single meeting. It points to an emerging effort to connect infrastructure, electricity, finance, skills, markets and public policy around the productive capacity of the State.

With Aba’s longstanding culture of entrepreneurship and manufacturing, the administration is seeking to transform that resilience into a more structured, infrastructure-backed and competitive industrial economy.
The ultimate objective is an Abia where businesses can move beyond survival to produce, employ, expand, compete and export, thereby contributing more substantially to the State’s economic development.

The Deputy Governor of Abia State, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, has called on Nigerians to strengthen national unity, promote peaceful coexistence and harness the country’s rich diversity as a driving force for sustainable development.

Emetu made the call in his goodwill message to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, urging citizens to rekindle their patriotism and renew their commitment to building a stronger, more peaceful and prosperous nation.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey since independence on October 1, 1960, the Deputy Governor acknowledged the achievements recorded by the country over the years, as well as the challenges it has encountered, noting that the resilience and determination of Nigerians have remained central to the nation’s progress.

He urged Nigerians to honour the sacrifices of the nation’s founding fathers by embracing the responsibility of building a better country for present and future generations.

According to him, Nigeria’s diversity remains one of its greatest assets, stressing the need for citizens to promote mutual respect, inclusiveness, peace and unity irrespective of ethnic, religious or political differences.

Emetu also called for greater citizen participation in the development of communities and the nation, noting that sustainable progress requires the collective efforts of government, citizens and other stakeholders.

The Deputy Governor particularly felicitated with the people of Abia State, assuring them that the administration of Governor Alex Chioma Otti remains committed to implementing policies and programmes aimed at improving the welfare of citizens and creating opportunities for sustainable development.

He urged Abians to continue supporting initiatives geared towards transforming the State, while maintaining peace, law and order and strengthening unity for the collective good of the State and Nigeria.

Emetu wished Nigerians at home and abroad a joyful 66th Independence Anniversary, urging them to remain hopeful and committed to building a brighter future for generations to come.

Amah Ijeoma
Correspondent office of the Deputy Governor
01/10/2026

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abia State, has taken its National Identification Number (NIN) enlightenment campaign to major streets and open spaces across the state, urging Nigerians to obtain and properly use their national identity credentials as a gateway to essential services and participation in the digital economy.

The campaign formed part of activities marking the 2026 National Identity Day, celebrated on Wednesday, September 16, with the theme, “Nigeria’s Digital Public Ecosystem — Powering Africa’s Digital Economy.”
Speaking shortly after the exercise, the NIMC State Coordinator in Abia, Mr. King Ukpabi said the campaign was designed to sensitise citizens to the importance of national identity and promote greater awareness of the benefits of obtaining the NIN.

Sir King Ukpabi said the initiative was aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which seeks to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030.

He noted that Nigeria had demonstrated its commitment to the global identity agenda by designating September 16 as National Identity Day, stressing that a functional identity system was essential to effective national planning, inclusion and good governance.

According to him, the NIN plays a significant role in national development by helping government plan effectively and ensuring that citizens are appropriately captured for access to government services, social interventions and other opportunities.

He further encouraged Nigerians to obtain their NIN, noting that having a verifiable national identity could facilitate access to essential government services, palliatives and employment opportunities.

Delivering the keynote address at the Identity Day event, Lady Gloria Abiakam Ify, Chairman of the Association of Heads of Federal Establishments (AHFE), Abia State, and Federal Head, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, described identity as the foundation of Nigeria’s digital future and a critical infrastructure for economic and social development.

Speaking on the theme, “Nigeria’s Digital Public Ecosystem — Powering Africa’s Digital Economy,” Abiakam said the significance of identity had gone beyond possession of an identity number or document, stressing that a trusted digital identity could connect citizens to opportunities, services and economic participation.
She explained that reliable digital identity systems could facilitate access to financial services, healthcare, education, employment and government programmes while supporting a more efficient and accountable public sector.

According to her, “identity is infrastructure,” just as roads connect communities and electricity powers industries, because a trusted identity system connects citizens to services and opportunities.
She said Nigeria was already experiencing rapid digital transformation, with businesses, financial services, government operations, education, healthcare, transportation and commerce increasingly adopting digital platforms.

However, she cautioned that technology alone could not guarantee inclusion, stressing that the success of digital transformation should ultimately be measured by how many Nigerians were able to benefit from it.
Lady Abiakam called for a digital public ecosystem that was accessible, secure, trusted and citizen-centred, stressing the need for identity, payments, social protection, taxation, business registration, healthcare, education and other public services to increasingly work together securely and efficiently.

She said such integration would reduce duplication, improve efficiency and make government services more responsive, noting that citizens should not be subjected to unnecessary repetition in proving their identity where government systems could securely verify the information.

The Federal Information Head, however, identified digital exclusion, inadequate connectivity, low digital literacy, cybersecurity threats, identity theft, fraud and data privacy concerns as some of the challenges that must be addressed as Nigeria expands its digital ecosystem.
She stressed that security must go hand-in-hand with innovation, urging government institutions, technology companies and service providers to uphold strong standards of data protection, cybersecurity, authentication and responsible data governance.

Abiakam also linked digital inclusion to economic empowerment, particularly for Nigeria’s youthful population, noting that technology, creative industries, e-commerce, fintech, agriculture, education and professional services offered significant opportunities for economic participation.
She urged the government, private sector, technology companies, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, innovators and development partners to deepen collaboration in developing digital solutions that address Nigeria’s specific needs.
She equally charged young Nigerians to see themselves not merely as users of technology but as builders of the digital economy, urging them to use technology to solve problems, create jobs, build businesses and contribute to Africa’s digital transformation.

She said the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation had an important role in ensuring that digital transformation did not remain a conversation limited to experts and institutions, but was communicated in clear and accessible language to citizens across communities, schools, markets, workplaces and rural areas.
“Identity is more than a number. It represents recognition, belonging, access, dignity and opportunity,” Abiakam said, adding that a trusted identity could become the gateway through which millions of Nigerians participate in the formal economy and access essential services.

She urged stakeholders to build a digital Nigeria that leaves no one behind, where identity opens doors rather than creates barriers, technology makes government services faster and more transparent, and citizens can trust systems holding their personal information.

Also speaking, the Head of ICT and Technical Services, NIMC, Abia State, Mr. Nathaniel Nwamu, encouraged members of the public to download the NIMC NINAuth application, describing it as a useful tool for identity verification and authentication as well as facilitating registration and access to identity-related services.
The officials reiterated the importance of a trusted national identity ecosystem to Nigeria’s development, inclusion, effective governance and growing digital economy.