By Ogeyi Ebinyi
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has been lauded for transforming the state’s investment climate, with his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, PhD, declaring that investors are driven by logic, not emotion, and that the state is now positioned to attract serious capital.
Speaking at the red carpet of the Abia Think Tank Association (ATTA) Symposium 2026 held in Lagos, Ajagba, who represented Governor Otti, emphasized that investment decisions are never sentimental.
“No investor is emotional,” Ajagba stated. He explained that before any investor plans to engage in any venture, a whole lot of decisions would take place before finally venturing into the business.
The symposium, themed “Renewed Nigeria’s Economic Resurgence: Is Abia Prepared?”, provided a platform for the Otti administration to showcase its achievements since assuming office on May 29, 2023.
Ajagba noted that when Governor Otti came on board, Abia State was badly managed by past leaders who had governed from the Government House in Umuahia. However, he said the governor had since breathed life into all facets of human applications, creating a conducive environment where citizens now go to bed safely and sleep soundly with their eyes closed.
He further highlighted that the administration had provided stable energy supply for the public good and had constructed thousands of kilometers of roads since May 29, 2023. According to him, nine out of the 17 local government areas in the state have been adequately provided with the dividends of democracy.
Providing specific data, Ajagba revealed that in 2022, Abia State was ranked 32nd in the list of states with ease of doing business. But since Governor Otti assumed office, the narrative had changed significantly.
He disclosed that the administration had issued approximately 4,000 Certificates of Occupancy (CEOs) from May 2023 to March 2026—a feat past leaders had not achieved. He added that it now takes only 30 days to obtain a CEO once applied for.
Ajagba also noted that over 850 technology youths had been trained in two batches, with a third batch about to commence. He further announced that Abia State had successfully attracted $150 million from international bodies through what he described as the true governance of Governor Otti.
In a pointed remark, Ajagba called on those around the government house to halt running for elective offices, stating that many of them lacked the discipline and industry required for meaningful governance. He argued that governance should be run by technocrats, not politicians.
The Chairman of the occasion, former Director General of the National Directorate for Employment, Chief Chukwu Wachukwu, also shared his perspectives, streamlining his views on the state’s developmental trajectory.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Uche Orji, former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Limited, flew in from America on the morning of the event to deliver his address. He did not disappoint the wide audience, delivering sharp ideas and insights that earned him a standing ovation at the end of his presentation.
The President of ATTA, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, set the stage for the symposium, ensuring that all participants were adequately carried along as he clearly narrated the activities the association had been undertaking since its inception.
A panel session moderated by Dr. Sonny Iroche featured valuable contributions from Dr. Uche Ogar, Professor Johnson Chukwu who spoke virtually, and Sir Sam Onukwue. The panelists built on the ideas raised in the keynote address, offering insightful viewpoints on economic resurgence and Abia’s preparedness.
The highlight of the symposium was the groundbreaking ceremony and the launch of a book titled Transformational Leadership and the Nation’s Vision, written by Elder Moses Kalu, which was presented to the audience.
The ATTA Symposium 2026 served as a platform for robust discourse on Abia State’s economic direction, with the Otti administration seizing the opportunity to showcase its achievements and outline its vision for a renewed economic landscape.
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