Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, says his administration is repositioning the state’s economy by shifting attention from conventional trading towards manufacturing and technology-driven commerce.
Otti made this known on Monday in Umuahia while speaking at the Igbo Day Lecture and Dinner organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
The event was held under the theme, “The Igbo Charter and Development of Ala Igbo.”
The governor noted that although Abia and the wider Igbo community have a long-standing reputation for commerce, the changing global economy requires a greater focus on production, technology and digital business.
He said his administration was supporting manufacturers while encouraging businesses to adopt digital platforms that would allow them to reach customers beyond traditional physical markets.
According to Otti, Abia would continue to maintain its markets because of their importance, but the state was increasingly looking towards manufacturing and digital commerce.
He cited platforms such as Alibaba as an example of the direction global commerce was taking, stressing that businesses needed to adapt to technological changes.
The governor also disclosed that his administration was investing in digital skills for young people through initiatives such as TechRise.
He said some young people trained under the programme were already working remotely for international technology companies from Aba.
Otti further said the development of digital commerce would give Abia entrepreneurs an opportunity to compete in the global marketplace rather than remain dependent solely on physical markets.
He assured the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide of his administration’s continued support and said his government had laid the foundation for further development across the state.
The governor added that Abia would continue to experience transformation as the government pursued its economic and development agenda.
