Breaking news: Otti Moves to Build Abia Seaport, Orders Accelerated Feasibility Study
Governor Alex Otti has taken a decisive step toward realising Abia State’s long-envisioned seaport project, approving the immediate commencement of a feasibility study for the proposed Azumini–Obeaku Seaport and Inland Waterways Corridor.
The approval was granted during a high-level meeting at the Government House in Umuahia with officials of China Harbour Engineering Company, led by Nicolas Liu.
In a push to fast-track the project, Governor Otti rejected the company’s proposed six-to-seven-month timeline, directing that the study be expedited to avoid unnecessary delays.
“We need to start immediately,” the governor said, underscoring the urgency of a project widely seen as a potential economic game-changer for the state.
He further instructed that steps to secure regulatory approvals from the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Presidency should commence without waiting for the feasibility report to be concluded.
Despite the strong momentum, Otti acknowledged a critical challenge facing the project. The proposed seaport location is estimated to be about 19 nautical miles from the high sea, a factor that could necessitate extensive dredging.
According to the governor, the scale and cost of dredging operations may ultimately determine the viability of the project.
Officials of China Harbour Engineering Company, however, expressed confidence in the initiative, pointing to their track record in executing major infrastructure projects in Nigeria, including the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
Also present at the meeting were key Abia government officials, including Transport Commissioner Chimezie Ukaegbu and Principal Secretary Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu.
The proposed seaport is expected to significantly boost trade, logistics, and industrial growth in Abia and the wider South-East region if successfully developed.
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