South East · Capital: Umuahia
Abia State
Governor: Alex Otti
Population
2,845,380
Land area
6,320 km²
Created
August 27, 1991
Governance
Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (Labour Party) has served as Governor of Abia State since 29 May 2023, the only Labour Party governor in Nigeria. A former Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank, his administration has campaigned on fiscal transparency and rebuilding Aba's commercial infrastructure.
History
Abia State was created on 27 August 1991 from the former Imo State, under the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida. Nicknamed 'God's Own State,' its commercial hub of Aba is one of West Africa's largest informal manufacturing and trading centres, particularly for leather goods and garments.
Tourism
Centred on Aba's famed markets and the National War Museum in Umuahia, a relic of the Nigerian Civil War.
- National War Museum, Umuahia
- Ariaria International Market, Aba
Agriculture
Cassava, palm oil, and yam farming support rural livelihoods alongside the state's dominant informal manufacturing sector.
Cassava · Oil palm · Yam · Rice
Investment
Aba is renowned across West Africa for indigenous shoe, garment, and leather manufacturing; state investment priorities include formalizing and modernizing this informal industrial base.
Leather & garment manufacturing · Agro-processing · Trade & commerce
Infrastructure
Education
Abia State University · Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike