Abia State Governor Alex Otti has urged Igbo traders to move beyond traditional retail and build stronger manufacturing and digital-commerce businesses, arguing that production and technology offer a more sustainable way to compete in an increasingly globalised market.
Otti made the call on Monday in Umuahia at the Igbo Day Lecture and Dinner organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide under the theme, “The Igbo Charter and Development of Ala Igbo.”
His remarks came amid growing complaints from some Nigerian traders about competition from Chinese businesses operating in local markets. Rather than concentrating solely on competing with foreign retailers at the point of sale, Otti said entrepreneurs from the South-East should increasingly participate in production and technology-driven commerce.
The governor pointed to Abia’s manufacturing base and its emerging technology ecosystem as areas where the state can support that transition.
Otti said the traditional strength of Igbo commerce should evolve rather than disappear.
He described Abia as both a trading and manufacturing economy but argued that entrepreneurs need to move further up the value chain by producing goods themselves and using digital platforms to reach customers.
His position represents a broader economic strategy built around three connected areas:
- Manufacturing: producing goods locally rather than relying predominantly on imported merchandise.
- Digital commerce: using online platforms to reach customers beyond physical markets.
- Technology skills: preparing younger entrepreneurs and workers for technology-driven businesses.
The governor cited the global reach of platforms such as Alibaba as an example of how commerce can increasingly operate without the limitations of conventional physical stores.
The approach also reflects the changing structure of international commerce, where manufacturers can increasingly sell directly to consumers through digital channels.
The governor’s comments come shortly after protests by some Igbo traders at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex over the activities of Chinese traders.
The protesting traders argued that Chinese businesses were selling products at prices that local retailers struggled to match and called for foreign traders to leave the retail space. Those complaints have placed renewed attention on the competitive pressures facing Nigerian businesses.
The issue goes beyond price alone. Businesses compete through access to manufacturers, purchasing volumes, logistics, financing, technology and distribution networks.
That means Nigerian retailers seeking to remain competitive face challenges across the entire supply chain.
Otti’s response focuses on changing the position of local entrepreneurs within that chain rather than limiting the discussion to competition between individual retailers.
Abia has long had a major commercial base in Aba, particularly in areas such as footwear, garments, leather products and other forms of small-scale manufacturing.
Moving more businesses from importing and reselling products into manufacturing could potentially increase the amount of value retained locally.
Manufacturing can also create opportunities beyond the factory itself through demand for:
- Raw materials
- Transport and logistics
- Packaging
- Equipment maintenance
- Financial services
- Marketing and distribution
- Skilled technical labour
For Abia, the challenge is turning the state’s established entrepreneurial culture into businesses capable of producing consistently at competitive cost and reaching larger markets.
That requires more than encouraging entrepreneurs to manufacture. Access to electricity, credit, modern equipment, reliable transport and market information can all affect whether small businesses can scale.
Otti also highlighted digital delivery as part of the state’s economic transition.
The shift could allow businesses based in Aba and other parts of Abia to reach customers outside their immediate physical markets.
An online business can potentially serve customers across Nigeria and international markets without opening a conventional shop in each location.
However, successful digital commerce requires more than simply creating an online storefront. Businesses need dependable payment systems, logistics, product quality, customer service and digital marketing capabilities.
Otti said his administration was investing in digital skills through the TechRise initiative, with some beneficiaries already working remotely for international technology companies from Aba.
That development illustrates the broader economic model the governor is advocating: combining Abia’s traditional commercial strengths with technology and modern production.
The governor also linked competitiveness to human capital.
According to Otti, young people trained through the state’s technology programme have secured opportunities with global technology companies while remaining in Aba.
Remote employment can provide another avenue for economic participation because workers do not necessarily need to relocate to major international technology centres to serve overseas companies.
For entrepreneurs, digital skills can similarly support online marketing, e-commerce management, product design, accounting, customer relations and other business functions.
The wider objective is to create an economy where physical manufacturing and digital services reinforce each other rather than operate separately.
The debate over Chinese businesses has largely focused on the ability of local retailers to compete on price.
Otti’s argument shifts the focus towards the value chain.
Instead of asking only how Nigerian retailers can sell imported goods at a lower price, the proposed model asks whether Nigerian businesses can manufacture competitively, buy inputs efficiently, develop their own brands and sell directly to consumers.
That distinction is important because manufacturers and technology-enabled businesses can capture more stages of the commercial process.
For Abia entrepreneurs, the transition could therefore mean moving from:
Importing → wholesaling → retailing
towards:
Designing → manufacturing → branding → digital sales → distribution
Such a transition would require investment and stronger business infrastructure, but it could also provide a larger base for businesses seeking to expand beyond local markets.
Otti’s remarks do not remove the immediate concerns raised by traders facing foreign competition. Instead, they propose a longer-term adjustment in how businesses respond to changing market conditions.
For entrepreneurs, the practical implications include:
- Greater emphasis on local production
- Investment in technology and digital skills
- Expansion beyond physical retail markets
- Development of stronger Nigerian-owned brands
- Improved access to national and international customers
The success of such a transition will ultimately depend on the ability of businesses and government to address the infrastructure and financing constraints that affect production.
Otti’s comments come as Abia continues to position itself around manufacturing, entrepreneurship and technology.
The immediate challenge is translating that policy direction into measurable improvements for businesses.
That means creating conditions in which manufacturers can produce at competitive prices, entrepreneurs can obtain affordable financing and digital businesses can operate with reliable infrastructure.
The debate over Chinese competition has therefore opened a wider conversation about the future of Nigerian commerce.
For Otti, the answer lies less in remaining within traditional retail and more in developing the capacity to make, innovate and sell at scale.
If that transition succeeds, Abia’s established trading culture could evolve into a broader ecosystem combining manufacturing, technology and global digital commerce.
