“Instead of Setting Up Everywhere in Africa, We Can Supply the Whole of Africa From Here…” — Gov. Otti Says, Approves Deeper Partnership With Ethnocentrique to Position Abia as Africa’s Fashion Manufacturing and Export Hub

The Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, has approved in principle a deeper partnership between the Abia State Government and Ethnocentrique Limited aimed at scaling up fashion production, developing specialised industrial skills and positioning the State, particularly Aba, as a globally competitive fashion manufacturing and export hub.

Governor Otti gave the approval on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, when the Chief Executive Officer of Ethnocentrique, Mrs. Irunna Ejibe, led a delegation of the organisation and its partners on a working visit to the Governor at his office.

The proposed partnership represents a significant expansion of the collaboration between the Abia State Government and Ethnocentrique, building on ongoing efforts to transform the State’s enormous pool of creative and entrepreneurial talent into a more organised, productive and export-oriented industrial ecosystem.

Governor Otti, while receiving the delegation, said his administration’s strategy for attracting investment is anchored on creating an environment where investors can thrive, rather than spending resources merely chasing investments.

“We believe that the best way to look for investors is to create the environment,” Governor Otti said, adding that the State Government is encouraged by the organisation’s work ethic, partnerships and measurable results.

The Governor expressed particular interest in Ethnocentrique’s proposal to move beyond conventional skills training into large-scale industrial production. He stressed that Abia already possesses important foundations that should be expanded and strengthened rather than duplicated.

“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. If you have something on ground, all you need to do is expand,” the Governor said.

Governor Otti further advocated the concentration and expansion of production in Abia instead of establishing multiple factories across different parts of the country.

According to him, such a model would help reduce fixed costs, maximise existing infrastructure and create economies of scale capable of making Abia-based products more competitive.

He cited the example of an investor who, following engagement with the State Government, opted to consolidate and expand production in Abia and subsequently committed an additional $65 million to its operations in the State.

The Governor said the same investment philosophy could be applied to the fashion industry, with Aba leveraging its longstanding reputation for craftsmanship and enterprise to become a major production base not only for Nigeria but for the wider African market.

“Instead of setting up everywhere in Africa, we can supply the whole of Africa from here. Let’s even start from Africa,” Governor Otti stated.

He explained that the strategy aligns with his administration’s broader economic vision of transforming Abia from a consumption-driven economy into a productive industrial centre capable of manufacturing goods for domestic consumption and international markets.

Governor Otti also highlighted the role of the State Government’s Export Growth Lab, established in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in supporting businesses to improve quality assurance and make locally manufactured products export-ready.

The Governor stressed that production capacity by itself is not enough to guarantee access to international markets, noting that standardisation, certification and quality assurance remain critical requirements for businesses seeking to compete globally.

“You can produce a billion in terms of quantity, but nobody will buy them,” he said, emphasising the need for products to meet recognised international standards.

According to him, Nigeria’s large population and expanding consumer market already provide a substantial opportunity for Abia manufacturers to replace imported goods while meeting domestic demand. He assured the delegation that the State Government would continue to support the infrastructure necessary to facilitate industrial expansion, particularly reliable electricity supply.

As part of the next steps towards actualising the proposed partnership, Governor Otti directed his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, and the CEO/Managing Director of Enyimba Automated Shoe Company (ENASCO) and Enyimba Garment Factory, Ms. Nnena Kalu Ogba, to meet with the Ethnocentrique team.

The meeting is expected to work out the details of the proposed partnership, identify areas of collaboration and determine the specific interventions required from the State Government to facilitate the transition from skills development to large-scale fashion manufacturing.

Earlier, the CEO of Ethnocentrique, Mrs. Irunna Ejibe, commended Governor Otti for what she described as the transformation taking place across Abia, particularly in Aba.

She noted that improvements in infrastructure and governance had helped renew confidence among investors and development partners, creating a more conducive environment for private-sector participation in the State’s economic development.

Mrs. Ejibe explained that while the government was rebuilding physical infrastructure, Ethnocentrique, in partnership with the government, was concentrating on rebuilding the intangible systems required to sustain industrial growth.

These systems, she said, include human capital development, access to markets, organised industrial clusters, finance, functional cooperatives and intellectual property protection.

She disclosed that Ethnocentrique had successfully completed the two-year pilot phase of its Fashion Future Programme, implemented with support from the Mastercard Foundation.

According to her, the programme trained and certified more than 6,000 young people, supported 4,240 small businesses through structured business advisory services, supported 1,460 mastercraft persons, trained 100 business development service providers and generated more than 11,000 direct and secondary jobs, including support for 2,240 female entrepreneurs.

Mrs. Ejibe further disclosed that Ethnocentrique had secured strong indicative commitments from partners for a four-year scale-up of the programme, with a target of reaching at least 20,000 additional young people in Abia State.

The expanded programme, she explained, will go beyond basic fashion skills to provide participants with specialised competencies required for industrial-scale production and participation in international supply chains.

These areas will include industrial pattern making, grading, production management, line balancing, technical packs, sizing, export compliance, factory ethics and global supply chain practices.

She added that Ethnocentrique was also working towards establishing quality assurance companies in Abia, identifying quality assurance as one of the major bottlenecks limiting the ability of local manufacturers to penetrate international markets.

“Without quality assurance, we can’t export,” she said, explaining that trusted quality assurance systems would help de-risk Abia for international buyers and strengthen the State’s credentials as a compliant industrial hub.

The proposed collaboration therefore seeks to connect Abia’s existing fashion talent and manufacturing tradition with modern industrial systems, market access, quality assurance and export requirements.

With Aba already renowned for its entrepreneurial culture and concentration of small and medium-scale manufacturers, the partnership is expected to provide a pathway for transitioning individual artisans and small businesses into more structured production systems capable of serving larger domestic and international markets.

The engagement further reinforces the Abia State Government’s focus on using partnerships with private-sector organisations and development institutions to create jobs, expand enterprise opportunities for young people and strengthen the State’s productive capacity.

The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Meribeole; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Ph.D; Commissioners for Industries and SMEs, Mazi Mike Akpara; Youth and Sports, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba; Transport, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu; Women Affairs, Dr. Mrs. Maureen Ijeoma Aghukwa; Special Adviser on Trade and Commerce, Chief Nwaka Inem; the CEO/Managing Director of ENASCO and Enyimba Garment Factory, Ms. Nnenna Kalu O gba; and other top government officials were present at the visit.