30/09/2026
OTTI TO NDIGBO: DON’T FIGHT CHINESE TRADERS, MOVE INTO MANUFACTURING AND DIGITAL COMMERCE
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has urged Ndigbo to respond to the growing presence of Chinese nationals in Nigeria’s retail sector by moving beyond conventional trading and investing more aggressively in manufacturing, technology and digital commerce.
Otti made the call in Umuahia during the Igbo Day lecture and dinner organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. He said the increasing competition from Chinese traders, particularly in Lagos, should encourage Igbo entrepreneurs to rethink a business model historically built around physical markets and retail trade.
According to the governor, Abia is already positioning itself for the transition by strengthening manufacturing and promoting digital skills among young people. He said his administration’s TechRise initiative was designed to prepare youths for opportunities in the global digital economy.
Otti stressed that the future of commerce was increasingly moving from physical shops to online platforms and digital delivery.
He said Abia would continue to support trading but would place greater emphasis on manufacturing and technology-driven businesses.
The governor also said some young people trained through the TechRise programme were already working remotely for international companies, including Google and Amazon, from Aba.
Meanwhile, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, urged Ndigbo to take the growing Chinese presence in the retail sector seriously. He noted that trading had historically been a major area of Igbo enterprise and called for a coordinated strategy to protect and expand Igbo economic interests.
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