Abia State Governor Alex Otti has urged Ndigbo to respond to the growing presence of Chinese traders in Nigeria by moving from conventional trading to manufacturing and digital commerce.
Otti said the changing business environment should push Igbo entrepreneurs to adopt new technologies rather than focus on protecting traditional trading models.
The governor spoke on Monday night at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia during the Igbo Day lecture and dinner organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
He said Abia was positioning itself as a manufacturing and technology hub while investing in digital skills for young people.
“We are leaving that place of trading. In Abia, we have markets; the markets are important. But we are moving from the market to manufacturing,” Otti said.
He said his administration was also promoting digital commerce as the global economy moves away from dependence on physical stores.
Otti said the growing presence of Chinese traders in Lagos should be seen as a sign of changing economic realities and an opportunity for Igbo entrepreneurs to adapt.
“You either embrace it or you risk being left behind,” he warned.
The governor also highlighted Abia’s TechRise initiative, which he said was designed to equip young people with digital skills.
Otti said some beneficiaries were already working remotely for global companies, including Google and Amazon, from Aba.
Meanwhile, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, said the increasing presence of Chinese traders should prompt Ndigbo to develop a coordinated strategy to protect and expand their economic interests.
Azuta-Mbata said Igbo entrepreneurs had demonstrated enterprise and resilience but needed to translate individual achievements into collective economic development.
He also called for greater protection of Igbo culture and language and proposed making Igbo compulsory in primary and secondary schools across the South-East.
The Ohanaeze leader further urged the Federal Government to find a political solution to the continued detention of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Chairman of the occasion, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, urged Ndigbo to move beyond complaints and take practical steps towards shaping their collective future.
Otti said the theme of the celebration, “Njikọ Ka” Unity is Supreme underscored the importance of collective action in driving development.
