Abia to host US-Africa investment conference this month, Otti says
- Abia State will host the 2026 African Diaspora Conference and Expo, AFRICANDO, this month, the governor's office said.
- Officials say the event aims to turn US-Africa trade talk into deals, with a Deal Room for investment-ready projects.
- Aba's manufacturing and trading base is being pitched as the state's main attraction for foreign investors.
Abia State plans to bring American investors, business leaders, policymakers and diplomats to the state this month for the 2026 African Diaspora Conference and Expo, known as AFRICANDO, the governor's office has said.
The Chief of Staff to Governor Alex Otti, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, announced the plan in a statement issued on Sunday. The conference theme is "Deepening U.S.–Africa Commercial Ties in the Era of AfCFTA."
For ordinary Nigerians, the pitch is about jobs and factory orders. State officials say the goal is to turn international meetings into real business deals, especially for the manufacturers and traders of Aba, long known for indigenous production and craftsmanship.
What the state is promising
Ajagba said the conference is meant to go beyond speeches and networking. A key feature will be a Deal Room and Investment Marketplace, where projects from Abia and other participating businesses will be presented to prospective investors.
He said sectors in focus include agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, consumer goods, energy, financial services, healthcare, transport and logistics, science and technology, and artificial intelligence.
Delegates will also be encouraged to visit manufacturing clusters, enterprises and government-backed projects to see opportunities for themselves, he said.
"AFRICANDO 2026 is not exclusively an Abia event. It is an international economic platform being hosted in Abia State," Ajagba said.
The state says it is investing in infrastructure and improving the business environment to attract private capital. It also points to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a continental trade pact, as a chance for local businesses to sell beyond Nigeria's borders.
What happens next
The conference is scheduled for this month, though the statement did not give exact dates. Whether the talks produce signed deals, and how much of that money reaches Aba's workshops and small businesses, will be the test.