Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has approved the immediate commencement of a feasibility study for the proposed Azumini–Obeaku seaport and inland waterways corridor project, marking a significant step toward opening Abia’s access to the sea. The approval was given on Tuesday during a meeting with a delegation from China Harbour Engineering Company Limited, led by Nicolas Liu, at the Government House in Umuahia.
Otti directed the Chinese firm to fast-track the study and complete it within the shortest possible time, rejecting the initial estimate of six to seven months as too lengthy. “I think you can take it that approval has been given for the feasibility study to commence. But six to seven months? That’s a long time. If we can shorten it, that will help,” the governor said. He emphasized that timely completion is crucial to keeping the project on track and attracting investors.
In a move to avoid bureaucratic delays, Otti also ordered that regulatory approval processes begin alongside the feasibility study. He instructed the company to immediately engage the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Presidency to secure necessary permits. “We need to start the process immediately, hoping that the feasibility study will return positive,” he added, noting that a negative outcome would halt further progress.
The Azumini Seaport, also referred to as the Ukwa Seaport, has been a long-standing vision of Otti’s administration to boost trade, industrialization, and economic growth in Abia and the wider South-East region. Earlier feasibility reports submitted by Chinese partners revealed that about 19.5 kilometres of dredging would be required to reach the high sea — a scope far more extensive than initial assessments and one that demands substantial funding.
The governor has consistently stressed that construction will not begin until financing is fully secured to prevent abandoning the project midway. “Before we start any project, we must ensure it is viable and that funds to complete it are available,” Otti stated during a recent engagement with the Ezumezu Ndoki Patriotic Association. He reaffirmed that Abia remains open to credible partnerships founded on transparency and honesty.
Beyond the seaport, Otti disclosed that discussions are also underway with the Akwa Ibom State Government to link both states by rail, a move expected to strengthen trade and cultural ties. The Abia seaport project, alongside the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park and railway plans, forms part of Otti’s broader infrastructure agenda aimed at transforming Abia into an economic hub in the South-East.
