BUA Makes Case For Stronger State, Private Sector Alliances As Governor Otti Unveils Abia’s Investment Agenda At NBCC Series
By Rashidat Olushola Okunlade | Lagos
A Clarion Call for Collaborative Prosperity
In a decisive intervention that underscores the growing nexus between subnational governance and private capital, BUA Group, one of Africa’s foremost manufacturing, foods, infrastructure, and mining conglomerates, has called for deeper collaboration between Nigeria’s state governments and the private sector to unlock investment, accelerate industrialisation, and create sustainable economic opportunities across the country.
The call came at the 2026 Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) Meet the Governor Series held in Lagos, where BUA Group served as Lead Sponsor and the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, presented his administration’s economic transformation and investment agenda.
The Conversation: Repositioning Abia for Enterprise
The high-profile forum, themed “Repositioning Abia for Enterprise, Industrialisation and Sustainable Economic Growth,” centred on a question increasingly pivotal to Nigeria’s economic future: how can states create the infrastructure, institutions, and policy environment required to attract productive private capital?
The event drew a distinguished audience of senior policymakers, investors, business leaders, and diplomatic representatives, including the British Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter, and Professor of Economics at Lagos Business School, Prof. Bongo Adi.
BUA’s Position: Ambition Must Match Environment
Speaking on behalf of the Founder and Executive Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, CFR, CON, the Managing Director of BUA Foods Plc, Engr. Ayodele M. Abioye, delivered a compelling case for subnational governments as critical drivers of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
“Subnational governments are critical to Nigeria’s economic transformation. They are important drivers of infrastructure development, industrial growth, investment attraction and job creation,” Abioye said.
“For investors, however, ambition must be matched by the right environment. Transparency, policy consistency, regulatory certainty, security and infrastructure all matter when businesses are making long-term investment decisions.”
He added that this principle has informed BUA Group’s approach to investment and expansion across Nigeria.
“At BUA Group, we firmly believe that sustainable economic development is driven by enterprise, innovation and strategic private-sector participation. This conviction continues to guide our investments and collaborations across Nigeria.”
Governor Otti’s Pitch: ‘Abia Is Open for Business’
Governor Otti, who declared that “Abia is open for business,” used the forum to set out the state’s proposition to investors, identifying opportunities across: Agribusiness and agro-processing, Trade and markets, The creative and digital economy, Manufacturing and industrialisation, SME development, Inclusive finance, and Diaspora investment and innovation.
He said his administration was deliberately directing public resources towards creating the conditions in which private enterprise could thrive, revealing that 80 per cent of Abia State’s ₦1.016 trillion 2026 budget is allocated to capital expenditure.
According to the Governor, infrastructure remains central to that strategy.
“Enterprise needs infrastructure. Roads move goods, light creates safety, and movement creates commerce. Abia is building the physical platform for investments,” Otti said.
He also highlighted investment opportunities in livestock and dairy, cashew and cocoa, rubber processing, garment manufacturing, ceramics, leather and tannery operations, healthcare, tourism, power, transport and logistics, alongside planned industrial and commercial developments.
NBCC’s Perspective: Abia’s Entrepreneurial DNA
The President and Chairman of the Council of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Prince Abimbola Olashore, noted that Abia’s entrepreneurial culture, particularly Aba’s longstanding strength in trade, manufacturing, and indigenous enterprise, provided a strong base for further economic expansion.
He stressed that businesses require predictable policies, responsive institutions, infrastructure, security, and access to markets, while describing government and the private sector as complementary partners in the creation of sustainable economic value.
Strategic Implications: A Template for Subnational Investment
Analysts say the NBCC Meet the Governor Series has become an increasingly important platform for states to engage directly with the organised private sector, and for investors to assess the credibility of state-level reform agendas.
Abia’s emphasis on capital expenditure, infrastructure, and institutional reform signals a deliberate shift toward creating a business-enabling environment. For BUA, the engagement reflects a broader strategic imperative: as Nigeria’s economic centre of gravity increasingly shifts toward subnational competitiveness, conglomerates with long-term investment horizons must engage states as partners, not merely regulators.
Abioye commended the Governor’s emphasis on enterprise, infrastructure, and institutional reform, noting that the conversation in Abia reflected a wider imperative for states across Nigeria.
For BUA, he said, productive collaboration between government and business must ultimately translate into investments that expand local production, strengthen value chains, create employment, and deepen economic activity.
He reaffirmed BUA’s willingness to continue engaging governments and credible institutions committed to building sustainable environments for enterprise and long-term investment.
BUA Recognition
BUA Group was recognised by the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce as the Lead Sponsor of the 2026 Meet the Governor Series, underscoring the Group’s continued support for platforms that advance constructive engagement between government, investors, and the organised private sector.
The Road Ahead
As Nigeria navigates a period of fiscal consolidation, currency reform, and renewed emphasis on non-oil growth, the role of states as investment destinations will only become more pronounced.
The Abia example, with its ambitious capital expenditure allocation and sector-wide investment opportunities offers a test case for whether subnational governments can translate reform rhetoric into tangible private-sector commitments.
For BUA, the message was unambiguous: the private sector is ready to invest, but only where transparency, policy consistency, and infrastructure converge to create a credible enabling environment.
This special report is part of ROTAMediaNews’ ongoing coverage of investment, industrialisation, and subnational economic development in Nigeria. Follow us for exclusive insights and in-depth analysis.
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What To Know About BUA Group
BUA Group is one of Africa’s leading manufacturing, mining, foods, and infrastructure conglomerates with its headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. Established in 1988 by industrialist Abdul Samad Rabiu, BUA has significant investments in mining and infrastructure, including Cement Manufacturing, Construction, Real Estate, Plaster Production, and Quarrying & Mining.
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