Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said the state will measure the success of its digital transformation agenda by the level of new investment attracted to the technology sector, jobs created and the sector’s contribution to the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Otti stated this on Thursday at the opening of the State-level Policy, Regulatory and Institutional Reforms Enabling Digital Transformation (SPRIRET) Stakeholder Engagement Programme at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Government House, Umuahia.
The governor said technology had become an indispensable driver of economic development, stressing the need to re-engineer regulatory frameworks to remove structural barriers to private-sector investment in the digital economy.
He said his administration had, since assuming office, made technology a major component of its development strategy, particularly in creating jobs, reducing administrative costs and improving government processes.
According to him, the government established the Office of the Chief Information Officer to coordinate its technology programmes and had trained more than 2,200 young people in various Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills through the TechRise programme.
He added that other initiatives, including ThriveAbia, Abia Digi-Upskill and Girls-in-ICT, had further expanded digital skills among residents and increased their access to local and international opportunities.
Otti also acknowledged the support of the British High Commission and the United Kingdom’s Digital Access Programme (DAP) to the state’s digital transformation efforts.
He disclosed that 500 civil servants trained under the State-Level Inclusive Digital Transformation Programme were now contributing to digital transformation initiatives across various government institutions.
The governor said the SPRIRET initiative, funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK FCDO), would help Abia develop stronger policies, institutions and systems required to build a resilient digital economy.
He said the programme would bring together government, private-sector operators, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to identify regulatory reforms capable of stimulating investment in the technology sector.
Otti said the state had already introduced several measures aimed at creating a more conducive environment for digital businesses.
Among them, he listed the Abia State Dig Once Policy, which took effect in May 2024 to regulate the installation of fibre-optic cables and other underground infrastructure.
He said the policy was designed to protect investments, minimise unnecessary disruption and reduce deployment costs for telecommunications companies and internet service providers.
The governor also disclosed that the Abia State Startup Law was signed in October 2025 to promote technology-driven businesses through regulatory incentives and financial support for innovators and entrepreneurs.
He recalled that the state had established a N2bn startup support fund for businesses with innovative solutions, while the Abia State Technological Skills Acquisition Centre (ATSAC) was created to provide advanced technology training in areas including artificial intelligence, machine learning, chip design and robotics.
Otti further disclosed that the state launched the N306m Nkata technology-enabling business grant in May 2026 to support technology startups and business owners across the 17 local government areas of the state.
Nearly 100 businesses had benefited from the scheme since its launch, he said, while other applicants were still awaiting support.
According to Otti, the administration’s broader ambition is to position Abia as a regional ICT hub, with improved mobile network coverage and data access in previously underserved communities expected to create further opportunities for businesses and residents.
He urged participants at the stakeholder engagement to identify practical ways digital technology could address challenges confronting communities, including insecurity, unemployment, post-harvest losses, urban property rentals and environmental degradation.
The governor said the administration would not measure progress solely by the number of policies and programmes introduced but by their tangible economic outcomes.
“We are also keen on results,” Otti said, stressing that the ultimate test would be increased investment, employment and the contribution of the digital sector to the state’s economy.
He declared the SPRIRET stakeholder engagement programme open and called on participants to develop practical solutions that would translate the opportunities offered by digital technology into social and economic benefits for residents.
