Abia State Government says it will host the 2026 edition of AFRICANDO, a U.S.–Africa Trade and Investment Conference and Expo, with a focus on attracting investments, expanding market access and connecting local enterprises with global capital.

The three-day international conference, scheduled for Nov. 17–19 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, will be held under the theme: “Deepening U.S.–Africa Commercial Ties in the Era of AfCFTA.”

The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, disclosed this at a press conference in Umuahia to formally unveil the event.
Sir Ajagba said the conference, organised by the Abia Diaspora Commission in partnership with the Foundation for Democracy in Africa and the Global Chamber of Commerce, would provide a platform for African businesses, governments and entrepreneurs to engage investors, policymakers, institutions and businesses from the United States and other international markets.

He said AFRICANDO 2026 was designed to move beyond discussions on trade promotion to actual transactions, investments and sustainable commercial partnerships.“AFRICANDO 2026 will not be another conference where speeches are made, photographs are taken and participants depart without measurable outcomes.
“The emphasis will be on deals, partnerships, investments and market access,” he said.

According to him, businesses seeking capital will have opportunities to meet investors, while manufacturers seeking international markets will connect with distributors and buyers.
He added that investors looking for viable opportunities would be presented with credible projects, while governments and development institutions would have opportunities to establish strategic partnerships.

Sir Ajagba said hosting the conference in Abia was strategic, given the state’s prominent position in Nigeria’s manufacturing and entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly the industrial and commercial strength of Aba.
He said the administration of Gov. Alex Otti had embarked on programmes aimed at rebuilding infrastructure, strengthening institutions, improving the business environment and repositioning the state as a destination for private capital.
“Our objective is to demonstrate that sub-national governments can become active partners in international trade, investment promotion and economic diplomacy,” he said.

The Chief of Staff said AFRICANDO would seek to transform the narrative around locally manufactured products by connecting the entrepreneurial energy of Aba and Abia with international markets.
He identified access to capital, modern technology, internationally recognised standards, improved packaging and branding, export knowledge, distribution networks and sustainable access to global markets as critical areas requiring attention.

He said the event would focus on agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, consumer goods, energy, financial services, healthcare, transportation and logistics, academic science and technology, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
The COS  disclosed that participants were expected from the United States, Anglophone African countries, the Caribbean and other parts of the world, adding that Nigeria had been selected as a hub, while Abia would serve as the Anglophone hub for West Africa.He therefore urged entrepreneurs and businesses to participate actively, stressing that AFRICANDO 2026 was an international trade conference and not merely a conventional trade fair.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the conference would provide Abia with an important platform to showcase its economic opportunities, locally made products and entrepreneurial strength to investors from Africa and beyond.
Kanu said the event would promote trade, cultural exchange and economic cooperation, while strengthening the state’s relationship with the international business community and creating new opportunities for local businesses.

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Abia State Diaspora Commission, Rev. Mrs Annie Onu, described AFRICANDO as a unique initiative aimed at bringing Africans together for economic development and mutual cooperation.
Lady Onu said the conference would enable participating countries to understand Abia’s economic and cultural strengths while allowing the state to benefit from ideas, expertise and opportunities available across Africa.
“AFRICANDO is a unique investment that will unite Africans, not only Nigeria. It will encourage other African countries coming to our state to see what Abia has and what God has blessed us with, while we also learn from them,” she said.

She added that the event would also promote Abia’s rich cultural heritage and showcase the achievements of the Otti administration.
A major component of AFRICANDO 2026 will be a structured Deal Room and Investment Marketplace where investment-ready opportunities from Abia and participating businesses will be presented to prospective investors.

The conference is also expected to feature high-level plenary sessions, sector-specific workshops and roundtables, exhibitions, business matchmaking, B2B meetings, investor engagements, policy dialogue, project pitching, site visits and opportunities for the signing of memoranda of understanding and commercial agreements.
International delegates and investors are expected to visit strategic economic locations and enterprises in the state, with Aba’s manufacturing ecosystem projected to feature prominently.The organisers also plan to engage Abia, Nigerian and African diaspora communities, encouraging them to move beyond remittances toward structured investments, technology transfer, mentorship and enterprise partnerships.

The organisers said the success of AFRICANDO 2026 would ultimately be measured by the investments attracted, partnerships established, export opportunities created, market linkages developed and commercial agreements concluded during and after the conference.
The Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Dr Mrs Salome Obiukwu; Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Economy, Miss Elizabeth Chijioke; and a Board member of the UCDA, Enyinnaya Okereke, attended the press conference.
The organisers called on investors, entrepreneurs, governments, development institutions, chambers of commerce, manufacturers, SMEs, technology companies, diaspora organisations and the media to participate in the event.
“Abia is ready. Umuahia is ready. Africa is ready for business,” the organisers said.

The Abia State Government has commenced the payment of outstanding gratuities to verified retired civil servants and local government workers who exited service between 2001 and 2010, marking a major step towards clearing a long-standing backlog that has subjected retirees to years of financial hardship.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, made  this known while briefing Journalists  on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Chioma Otti.
Sir Kanu said the payment followed a comprehensive review by a committee constituted by the Governor to determine the true extent of the state’s outstanding gratuity obligations and develop a sustainable framework for their settlement.

According to him, the review established the total outstanding gratuity liability of the state and local governments at N61.8 billion, comprising N7.2 billion incurred between 2001 and 2010, N43.6 billion between 2011 and May 2023, and N10.9 billion accumulated from May 2023 to date.

He said the present administration inherited the huge liability and could not realistically clear 24 years of accumulated arrears within three years, but stressed that the government was determined to establish a system that would ensure continuous payment without creating fresh arrears.
“The government is committed to addressing this challenge in a responsible and sustainable manner. We cannot realistically clear the mess of 24 years within three years, but we are determined to establish a system that guarantees continuous payment and prevents the accumulation of fresh arrears,” Kanu stated.

The Commissioner explained that the annual financial implications of the gratuity payments from 2026 to 2031 would be incorporated into the state’s Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and subsequently reflected in annual budgets to guarantee a consistent and sustainable payment process.
He disclosed that payments would be made directly to verified beneficiaries through a dedicated gratuity payment platform linked to the State Treasury Single Account, with biometric validation to prevent duplication, fraud and other irregularities.

Sir Kanu added that the retirees’ database would undergo further cleaning and validation, noting that some records relating to years of service and previous payments remained in analogue form.
He assured retirees that subsequent payments would prioritise the oldest arrears and beneficiaries facing the greatest social impact.

The Commissioner said beneficiaries had already started receiving their gratuity payments across the state, describing the initiative as part of Governor Otti’s commitment to responsible governance and the welfare of workers and retirees.

To address complaints and enquiries arising from the payment process, the government has established a dedicated helpline through the Abia State Citizens Contact Centre. The helpline, 0800-000-0232, will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on working days, while complaints may also be submitted through contactcentre@abiastate.gov.ng, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Uwaoma Ukandu, confirmed that the current phase of payment covers retirees from 2001 to 2010, stressing that the government would defray the outstanding gratuity in phases because of the huge financial commitment involved.

Meanwhile, the State Government has announced the resolution of the issues that triggered the recent industrial action by workers of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU).
Kanu said the resolution followed the intervention of a committee led by the Secretary to the State Government and constituted by Governor Otti to address the issues surrounding the strike.

He explained that the Governor had approved the workers’ demands as far back as April 2026, but implementation was delayed by administrative processes.
According to him, outstanding check-off dues have been paid, while the new salary structure, Consolidated Academic Teaching Allowance (CATA) and other related payments have been processed for payment with the August 2026 salaries.
He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to constructive engagement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other organised labour unions, stressing that workers’ welfare remained a priority of the government.

Responding to the issue of a suspended lecturer at ABSU, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the matter remained an internal affair of the autonomous university.
Ekeoma noted that the Otti administration had cleared 11 months of salary arrears inherited by the previous administration . The Governor had also initiated landmark projects at the university and resolved the long-standing problem that prevented graduates of the Faculty of Law from proceeding to the Nigerian Law School

On healthcare, Sir Kanu announced that Governor Otti would commission the newly completed Obingwa General Hospital at Mboko, Obingwa Local Government Area, describing the facility as a modern healthcare institution equipped with digital health infrastructure.
He disclosed that Strategic Community Health Oversight Teams had been inaugurated in four Local Government Areas, while the Abia State Diaspora Healthcare Fund was inaugurated on Saturday, August 22.
The fund, he explained, is designed to support health insurance enrolment for indigent and vulnerable citizens, particularly those in the informal sector.

He added that health insurance enrolment in the state had risen to 269,900 persons, while recruitment of medical officers, dental officers and consultants remained ongoing.

The Commissioner further said Abia recorded no cases during the period under review of major diseases of public health importance, including Ebola, Lassa fever, COVID-19, diphtheria, cholera, mpox and yellow fever.

The Commissioner also announced the conclusion of the recruitment process for the second batch of teachers, with 4,074 successful candidates receiving appointment notifications.
He said the exercise was conducted transparently and on merit, with 50.5 per cent established as the overriding cut-off mark.
The successful candidates are expected to commence onboarding and orientation next week before deployment to areas where their services are most needed.
Sir Kanu said the state’s Smart Schools Project had also attracted national attention, with a ministerial committee from the State Universal Basic Education Board recently visiting Abia to assess its success and impact.

On power infrastructure, the Commissioner disclosed that the state government was pursuing additional measures to improve electricity supply within the Umuahia ring-fenced area.
The plans include licensing a generation plant within the area and evacuating available generation capacity from the Alaoji Power Plant.

Sir Kanu reiterated that the developments reflected the administration’s broader agenda of rebuilding institutions, restoring public confidence, expanding access to quality education and healthcare, strengthening infrastructure and creating an enabling environment for sustainable economic growth.
He reaffirmed the Otti administration’s commitment to building a “New Abia” where institutions are strengthened, governance works and citizens increasingly feel the impact of purposeful leadership.

As Abia State prepares to mark its 35th anniversary, the administration of Governor Alex Otti has unveiled a fresh package of interventions spanning healthcare, housing, infrastructure, human capital development and technology, reaffirming its resolve to mark the milestone with projects that deliver tangible benefits to residents rather than ceremonies alone.

The decisions were announced following the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Otti.This include the deployment of technology to track high-risk pregnancies, the expansion of functional Primary Healthcare Centres, recruitment of additional healthcare professionals, rehabilitation of housing estates and the development of a new pocket housing scheme in Umuahia.

The administration said the 35th anniversary would be used to commission completed projects and flag off new ones across the State, describing the approach as a deliberate departure from the traditional celebration of state anniversaries through ceremonies and awards.
Governor Otti’s administration maintained that the best way to celebrate Abia is by delivering projects that improve the lives of its people.

At the centre of the healthcare interventions is Cytrack, a locally developed digital application being piloted by the Ministry of Health to identify and monitor high-risk pregnancies across the State.
The technology is particularly designed to support teenage pregnancies, women without supervised antenatal care and expectant mothers at risk of delivering without skilled birth attendants.

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Cytrack captures essential demographic and pregnancy information, including age and last menstrual period, enabling health officials to determine expected delivery dates, monitor antenatal appointments and maintain contact with pregnant women throughout pregnancy and delivery.
The application also sends reminders to pregnant women, while responsible adults in communities can help ensure that high-risk expectant mothers attend scheduled antenatal appointments.

The technology has already been used by health workers to monitor several teenage pregnancies and facilitate safe deliveries at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, providing a practical demonstration of how digital innovation can be deployed to address real healthcare challenges.

The State Government also announced that Abia has emerged as Nigeria’s number one state in healthcare affordability and among the top three states in healthcare quality, according to the latest Philips Consulting State Performance Index.
Abia was also reported as the only state to achieve top-three positions in 13 of 16 indicators of good governance based on citizens’ perception, reinforcing the administration’s claim of measurable progress across multiple sectors.

At the grassroots level, the first 50 functionalised Primary Healthcare Centres accounted for more than 20 per cent of the over 1.067 million outpatient visits recorded across the State between July 2025 and June 2026.
With three additional PHCs functionalised between July 27 and August 10, the number of functionalised Primary Healthcare Centres in Abia has now risen to 151.

Similarly, enrolment in the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme increased from 233,000 to 237,000 beneficiaries between July 27 and August 7, 2026.
The administration also commended the Abiriba Community Improvement Union, North America Chapter, for pledging to sponsor 1,000 indigent persons under the State Health Insurance Scheme, urging other communities and organisations to emulate the initiative.
The State recorded no outbreak of major public-health diseases during the period under review, including Ebola, Lassa fever, COVID-19, diphtheria, cholera, mpox and yellow fever.

To strengthen the healthcare workforce, the State Civil Service Commission is commencing another round of recruitment of medical professionals.
The exercise follows the employment of 742 medical personnel by the Otti administration so far.
The new recruitment will focus on medical officers, dental officers and consultants, including full-time and part-time consultants, with the application portal scheduled to open on Monday night, August 10.

Beyond healthcare, the State Executive Council has directed the Ministry of Housing to sanitise and rehabilitate the World Bank Housing Estate at Abayi Umuocham, Aba, following concerns over the deteriorating condition of the estate.
The intervention will cover roads and other infrastructure, alongside remedial works aimed at restoring the estate and improving the living environment of residents.
An inspection of the estate revealed various forms of misuse and neglect, including street trading and farming along estate roads.

The government said the rehabilitation would include road improvements and street lighting, while activities contributing to the deterioration of the estate, particularly trading and farming along roads, would no longer be tolerated.

The Ministry of Housing will also collaborate with the Ministry of Works to undertake rainy-season maintenance works at Amaoba Housing Estate, Umuahia, pending the permanent reconstruction of the estate roads.
The State Government has equally provided a new transformer to alleviate electricity challenges confronting residents of the estate.

The proposed Pocket Housing Layout in Umuahia is also progressing, with the State planning to provide different categories of quality residential accommodation.
The scheme will comprise detached five-bedroom houses with boys’ quarters, semi-detached houses, and two- and three-bedroom blocks of flats.
Registration of intending subscribers will commence through an Expression of Interest process, followed by the opening of a dedicated payment portal.

The government said the scheme would operate on a transparent, first-come, first-served basis, with an off-plan payment structure requiring 30 per cent at the commencement of construction, 40 per cent around the midpoint and the remaining 30 per cent upon completion.
Contractors are expected to mobilise to site within the next week, with the government targeting completion within the next few months after flag-off.
The first occupants are expected to take possession of the houses by the end of 2026 or early 2027.

As Abia marks 35 years of state creation, the Otti administration said the anniversary would serve as a platform for commissioning completed projects and flagging off new ones across the State.
Rather than focusing primarily on celebrations, the government said the occasion would demonstrate the transformation taking place across Abia through investments in healthcare, housing, infrastructure, human capital development and technology-driven public services.
The administration said the emerging picture is that of a “New Abia” being built through practical interventions capable of delivering measurable value to the people.
The projects and reforms, it added, reflect Governor Otti’s determination to build a healthier, better-planned, more prosperous and more liveable Abia, while using the State’s 35th anniversary to demonstrate that development is best celebrated through tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.