Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Tuesday declared open the 1st Abia-Turkiye Investment Summit & Product Exhibition, an exercise aimed at fostering mutual economic partnerships between Abia State, Nigeria, and the Republic of Turkiye.
Mr Otti, while declaring the three-day event open at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to attracting global partnerships and unlocking new economic opportunities in the south-eastern state.
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Governor Otti’s remark was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma.
The governor, who titled his speech “Prosperity Through Partnership”, said the summit represents a major step towards expanding Abia’s economic frontiers and positioning the state as an emerging destination for manufacturing, agriculture, SME development and industrial innovation.
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He urged Turkish investors to explore opportunities in agriculture and textile production, as well as to engage with local business owners to build partnerships that would strengthen Abia’s position in the international market.
“One thing you can be sure of is the steady support of the state government to make a success of your ventures.
“You may wish to explore opportunities in manufacturing, retail value chains, logistics and transportation. You may also like to know that Abia has a specific set of advantages in fabrics and leather works.
“Do well to look in and identify suitable business ecosystems you can plug into. For consistently rewarding returns on investments, pay special attention to opportunities in housing development, manufacturing, metal fabrication and similar opportunities that the expanding economy of the city can support,” Mr Otti said.
Mr Otti highlighted Abia’s key competitive advantages, citing the availability of a skilled labour force, the emergence of a more reliable energy supply in strategic parts of the state, as well as the strengthened security architecture and improvements in road infrastructure under his administration.
He maintained that these factors position Abia State as an attractive destination capable of hosting large-scale, sustainable investments.
The governor reaffirmed the State’s readiness for foreign partnerships, adding that his administration’s “investments in economic infrastructure are designed to create wealth, activate new front lines of opportunities, and put demand access to productive use”.
Remarks by Turkish official
In his speech, the Commercial Councilor of the Turkish Embassy in Nigeria, Fatih Tonzogho, while noting that Turkey is committed to strengthening global partnerships, said that the country’s engagement with Africa has been a deliberate and consistent policy since its launch by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2003.
He made a case for sustained collaboration with Abia State and expressed hope that the Abia–Turkey summit would be a regular platform for expanding trade, assuring Turkey of its continued participation in future editions.
In an address, the Commissioner for Trade and Commerce in Abia, Salome Obiukwu, described the Abia–Turkiye Investment Summit as a strategic step towards deepening economic cooperation and attracting global partnerships.
She said that the initiative speaks volumes of Abia’s openness to business and innovation and acknowledged Turkiye’s global strength in the areas of manufacturing, textiles, defence technologies and agro-processing.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Abia Governor on Investment Promotion and Public-Private Partnership, Green Amankwe, commended Governor Otti for his reforms that have positioned Abia as an investment-ready and choice destination for local and international investors.
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