Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has urged Ndigbo to shift their economic focus away from conventional retail trade and instead lean heavily into manufacturing and digital commerce, rather than getting drawn into turf wars with the rising influx of Chinese traders into major commercial hubs like Lagos.
Speaking at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia during the annual Igbo Day lecture and dinner hosted by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the governor noted that the changing dynamics of global commerce should prompt a strategic evolution rather than attempts to defend outdated business models. He emphasized that physical storefronts are rapidly giving way to digital delivery ecosystems, pointing to global giants like Alibaba as the blueprint for where modern enterprise is headed. According to him, Abia is already positioning itself at the vanguard of this transformation by pivoting aggressively from traditional trading to industrial manufacturing and technology-driven commerce.
Highlighting his administration’s practical steps, Otti pointed to the TechRise initiative, which equips young people in the state with cutting-edge digital skills. He shared that several beneficiaries of the program are already working remotely for global tech powerhouses like Google and Amazon right from Aba, proving that the region’s talent pool can compete globally if given the right tools and environment.
The event also featured sharp insights from the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. Senator John Azuta-Mbata, the President-General, expressed caution regarding the growing footprint of foreign retail competitors in traditional Igbo strongholds. He noted that retail trade has historically been a foundational pillar of Igbo enterprise, making the current shift in market dynamics a wake-up call for a more coordinated economic strategy. Azuta-Mbata stressed that while Ndigbo have long excelled through individual brilliance and resilience, the time has come to translate those traits into collective economic power. To this end, he referenced the Igbo Charter for Strategic Engagement for National Development—put together by dozens of technocrats and business leaders—as a vital framework for navigating national and global spaces. He also advocated for making the Igbo language compulsory in schools across the South-East to safeguard cultural heritage, while calling on the federal government to explore a political solution regarding the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Echoing these sentiments, the chairman of the occasion, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, challenged the audience to stop dwelling on systemic disadvantages and instead seize control of their collective trajectory. He lauded Governor Otti for demonstrating exemplary leadership and delivering visible governance strides in Abia State.
Zoyols News gathered that the event, themed Njikọ Ka to emphasize the supremacy of unity, drew a high-powered audience of political heavyweights, traditional rulers, business titans, and members of the clergy. Notable figures present included Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu, former deputy governor Ude Oko Chukwu, former Abia Speaker Agwu U. Agwu, and Professor Kingsley Moghalu, who delivered the keynote lecture detailing the roadmap outlined in the strategic engagement charter. Concluding the event, Governor Otti reiterated his commitment to the region’s progress, assuring stakeholders that with a solid foundation now laid in Abia, the only trajectory left for the state is upward.
