About

Abia State lies in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi to the north and north-east, Imo State to the west, Cross River to the east, Akwa Ibom to the south-east and Rivers State to the south. Its name is an acronym for four of its principal population centres — Aba, Bende, Isuikwuato and Afikpo. Created on 27 August 1991, the state has Umuahia as its administrative capital, while Aba is its largest city and commercial hub. Abia's economy is driven by commerce and light manufacturing, with Aba long established as one of West Africa's most vibrant centres for leather goods, garments and small-scale industry. Opportunities span textiles and footwear, agro-processing, palm produce, oil and gas, and trade and services. Public finance priorities focus on strengthening internally generated revenue, upgrading urban and industrial infrastructure, formalising the SME sector and improving the business environment to attract private investment.