Otti: Abia Moving From Conventional Trading To Digital Commerce

Abia Governor, Dr Alex Otti, says his administration is repositioning the state from conventional trading to manufacturing and technology-driven digital commerce.

Otti stated this at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, during the Igbo Day Lecture and Dinner organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, with the theme, “The Igbo Charter and Development of Ala Igbo.”

The governor said Abia, traditionally known for commerce, was moving from physical markets to manufacturing and digital delivery, stressing that technology would enable Igbo entrepreneurs to compete globally.

“We are leaving that place of trading. In Abia, we have markets; the markets are important. But we are moving from the market to manufacturing,” Otti said, adding that the state was supporting manufacturing and driving digital delivery.

He said the shift would help address competition from foreign traders by moving Igbo businesses beyond conventional retail, adding, “You either embrace it or you risk being left behind.”

Otti said his administration was also investing in digital skills through the TechRise initiative, noting that some beneficiaries from Aba were already working remotely for global technology companies, including Google and Amazon.

“When I spend money here training my young people in digital technology under the TechRise initiative, I know what I am doing. Some of them are already working for Google and Amazon from Aba,” he said.

The governor described the theme of the celebration, “Njikọ Ka,” meaning “Unity is Supreme,” as appropriate, and assured the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide of his administration’s support.

He said his administration had laid a solid foundation for Abia’s development and expressed optimism that the state would continue to transform.

“We have retrieved and recovered our State. And the only way to go is up. Once you have laid the foundation, the only way to go is up,” Otti said.

In a keynote address delivered virtually, Chairman of the Igbo Charter Committee for Strategic Engagement for National Development, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, called for the separation of the Igbo Charter from partisan politics.

Moghalu said the Charter should serve as a non-partisan development roadmap based on merit, accountability and measurable targets.

He identified promotion of the Igbo language, creation of a digital marketplace, stronger diaspora engagement, improved security and investment, and a shift from dependence on remittances to productive investment as key priorities.

Moghalu also advocated true federalism, equitable citizenship and devolution of powers, urging Ndigbo to move from discussions to practical implementation. He described Otti as “one of our best.”

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, said the lecture and dinner was organised to harness the collective strength of Ndigbo through a unified development strategy.

Azuta-Mbata said despite the people’s enterprise, resilience and individual achievements, Ndigbo were yet to fully realise their collective potential.

He said the Igbo Charter, produced by more than 67 Igbo technocrats and business leaders, provides a framework for engaging the Nigerian government and the international community.

The Ohanaeze leader said the Charter also seeks to protect Igbo culture, particularly the language, and proposed that Igbo be made compulsory in primary and secondary schools across the South-East.

He further called on the Federal Government to find a political solution to the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, urged Ndigbo to work collectively towards developing Ala Igbo.

“We must look forward to building a brighter future, moving beyond complaining about those who won’t give us our due, to taking our destiny in our own hands,” Ugochukwu said.

He commended Otti for what he described as good governance in Abia and praised the Ohanaeze leadership for sustaining the annual Igbo Day observance.

The event featured a panel discussion moderated by Chief Enyinnaya Onukalu and was attended by Abia Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, clergy and other Ndigbo from across the country and beyond.