Abia Government Greenlights SME Village, Innovation Hub to Accelerate Economic Transformation in Aba

In a bold and strategic initiative aimed at deepening economic development and stimulating entrepreneurial prosperity, the Abia State Government has approved the establishment of a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Village and Innovation Hub in Aba.

The decision, which underscores the administration’s commitment to enterprise-driven growth, was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, while briefing journalists on the resolutions reached at the State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti on Tuesday.

Prince Kanu explained that the proposed SME Village, upon completion, will serve as a purpose-built commercial ecosystem designed to accommodate computer merchants, mobile phone dealers, and technical repair professionals, thereby providing them with a more organised and conducive operational environment.

He noted that beyond supporting business expansion, the project is expected to significantly decongest parts of Aba currently overwhelmed by uncontrolled and unregulated commercial activities.

The commissioner further revealed that a one-stop Export Growth Laboratory and trade facilitation centre located within the premises of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic is nearing completion and is projected to be commissioned before the end of February.

According to him, the facility is structured to dismantle bureaucratic impediments confronting small businesses, manufacturers, and exporters, while enhancing Aba’s competitiveness as a foremost industrial and trading hub in the region.

“The Export Growth Lab will provide critical support services such as business registration, NAFDAC certification processes, and other essential trade-related approvals, all aimed at improving the ease of doing business for SMEs in Aba and its environs,” Kanu stated.

He described the initiatives as part of the Otti administration’s deliberate policy thrust to foster an enabling economic climate that promotes entrepreneurship, drives job creation, and catalyses industrial expansion across Abia State.

Also present during the media briefing were the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma; and the Special Adviser on Transportation, Dr. Obioma Nwogbo.

The government expressed confidence that these interventions will unlock new opportunities for enterprise growth and reinforce Aba’s status as a commercial powerhouse within Nigeria’s economic landscape.