UK Partner Abia to Deepen Digital Transformation And Attract Investment

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR, has called for stronger collaboration between government, the private sector and development partners to harness digital technology for economic growth, job creation and solutions to community challenges.
Governor Otti made the call while declaring open the State-level Policy, Regulatory and Institutional Reforms Enabling Digital Transformation (SPRIRET) Stakeholder Engagement Programme at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Government House, Umuahia.

The Governor, who described technology as an indispensable accelerator of development, said Abia was committed to leveraging digital transformation to improve public services, reduce administrative costs, create jobs and attract investment.

“My charge to all of us, as I declare this event formally open, is to identify ways of leveraging the possibilities of digital technology to solve much of the real problems confronting our communities with particular attention to security challenges, unemployment, post-harvest losses for agro produce, urban property rentals, environmental degradation and other challenges that threaten our economic and social wellbeing.

He disclosed that the State’s TechRise programme had trained more than 2,200 young people in various ICT skills, while initiatives including ThriveAbia, Abia Digi-Upskill and Girls-in-ICT were expanding digital opportunities.

“This is the age of knowledge where wealth is tied to the capacity to create solutions that enrich the human experience. The task for us therefore is to identify the operational vehicles for harnessing the opportunities that have been offered us by the genius of technology and the limitless capacity that it holds for our social and economic transformation,” Governor Otti said.

Otti also highlighted the State’s Dig Once Policy, Startup Law, N2 billion startup support fund, Abia State Technological Skills Acquisition Centre and the N306 million Nkata technology-enabling business grant as measures designed to strengthen the technology ecosystem.

He said the SPRIRET initiative, supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), would help Abia strengthen its policy, regulatory and institutional framework for a more connected and accountable digital economy.

The Governor commended the British High Commission for its support, noting that 500 Abia civil servants had previously benefited from a UK-supported digital transformation programme.

The British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Jonny Baxter, said the UK was pleased to partner with Abia, describing digital technology as a critical tool for improving public services, creating economic opportunities and strengthening government effectiveness.

“Digital transformation cannot be achieved by government alone. It requires collaboration and open dialogue,” he said.

Baxter disclosed that about 450 civil servants in Abia had received UK-supported digital skills training, while community-owned connectivity hubs were being developed at Okporoenyi and Arochukwu to expand affordable digital access and literacy.

He stressed that digital transformation required collaboration among government, the private sector, civil society, academia and the wider technology ecosystem.
The Chief Information Officer to the State Government, Mr. Gerald Ilukwe, said the programme would assess Abia’s digital ecosystem and identify areas requiring policy, regulatory and institutional improvements.
He disclosed that the FCDO Digital Access Programme was supporting five Nigerian states, including Abia, to undertake reforms aimed at accelerating digital development.

Governor Otti urged stakeholders to use the SPRIRET platform to develop technology-driven solutions to challenges including insecurity, unemployment, post-harvest losses, property rentals and environmental degradation, stressing that the ultimate measure of progress would be increased investment, employment and the contribution of the digital sector to Abia’s economy.