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UMUAHIA – The Abia State government has announced its intention to host a Business Roundtable Conference tagged “Abia Business Roundtable” in the state on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
The high-level business roundtable, according to the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, is aimed at exchanging business ideas with members of the business community across the country.
The government, he disclosed, will also use the opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the government and the organized private sector (OPS)
The Commissioner for Information, who was fielding questions from journalists in Umuahia, said the Roundtable will be held at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
Flanked by the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Abia State Public Private Partnership Office and Investment Promotions Office, Mr Chinedum Chijioke, Kanu disclosed that the programme is being organised to herald a new era of economic prosperity in Abia.
The business roundtable, he asserted, would be presided over by the state governor, Dr Alex Otti and would provide a platform for the government to exchange ideas with members of the business community in Nigeria and beyond.
On March 5th 2026, at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
Prince Kanu said that the business roundtable, which would be presided over by the state Governor, Dr Alex Otti would provide a platform for the government to exchange ideas with members of the business community.
According to him, issues that would promote businesses in Abia state and investment potentials that would attract people to the state would all be discussed in the business meeting.
His words, “The business roundtable will provide a platform for government and requisite MDAs to exchange ideas with members of the business community.
“They are being drawn from all over the country. During the roundtable, both parties will discuss issues of common interest.
“It will provide them the opportunity for them to tell us what they need, and what the government has in place for the business community.
“So it promises to be a very fertile ground for exchange of ideas”.
Also fielding questions from newsmen, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Abia State Public Private Partnership Office and Investment Promotions (PPP & IP ) Office, Mr Chinedum Chijioke, stressed that the idea is to create a platform for the government to engage the business community.
“A platform for the business community and the government to collaborate and address issues of common interest.
“As you may be aware, across the globe, in developing economies or in developed economies, or in economies that are doing well, the private sector drives the economy.
“What the government does is to provide an enabling environment for the private sector to be able to drive the economy”, he declared.
According to him, there is a need for the government to have a platform where it will engage the business community to exchange ideas and address some challenges.
“And by so doing, you provide the business community a platform to be part of shaping government policies as it relates to the business environment and the business climate.
“So, this, being the first of its kind in Abia, under this administration, will be a platform geared towards creating that collaborative structure for the business community to engage the government on issues of common interest, address challenges, and allow them to shape policies of the government as it relates to the business environment and economic development,” he maintained.
Chijioke contended that the government is drawing business leaders from across the country and from the various classes of businesses existing in the marketplace.
On how the participants would be registered, Chijioke informed that the registration link has been in the public domain for some time now and that people could also get registered by contacting the agency, as it will provide reliable information on participation.
The categories of business people to attend, he revealed, are being drawn.
“So, what we’ve done is, we’ve created these from our understanding of how the private sector is structured to create various classes of businesses.
“So, you have businesses that generate from 50 million a year to those that generate a billion a year. We’ve drawn from across the business community.
“But, of course, as I said, it’s subject to registration. So, you register. We look at your details. We sent you an IV because it’s strictly on IV.
“We want those who are active players, who are employers of labour, who are driving the economy of Abia to come and have this meeting with His Excellency,” Mr Chijioke stated.
The PPP & IP DG used the opportunity to describe the PPP & IP office as an investment promotion, investment facilitation as well as the aftercare and advocacy centre.
