Nigeria Governor Calls Diaspora Home to Invest in Abia

A Nigerian governor is making a bold pitch to his people scattered across the world: come home and build here.

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State announced this week that he's successfully recovered the commercial city of Aba and created conditions ripe for business growth. Now he wants diaspora residents to redirect their expansion plans toward home instead of setting up new factories in China, Turkey, or other countries.

The appeal comes after years of work stabilizing infrastructure and security in Aba, once a thriving commercial center. Otti told community leaders that investment will naturally flow to places with the right foundation, and Abia has rebuilt that foundation.

"Home is still home," Otti said during a meeting with the Abiriba Communal Improvement Union. "A lot of people have manufacturing outposts in China, Turkey, and the rest of them. We want to start by getting them to come back. And a lot of them are coming back."

The governor isn't just talking about small businesses. He's challenging local entrepreneurs to consider taking over the Star Paper Mill, a major employer that once provided nearly 2,000 jobs before going dormant. The state government recently purchased the facility from federal debt collectors and wants private investors to restore it.

What makes this noteworthy is Otti's preference for local over foreign investment. He's received proposals from Chinese companies but told community leaders he's wary of handing over a facility originally built by a local son to international corporations.

The Ripple Effect

When diaspora communities reinvest in their home regions, the benefits multiply beyond simple job creation. Returning entrepreneurs bring international business practices, global networks, and technical expertise that can transform local economies.

In Abia's case, successful diaspora investment could demonstrate a replicable model for other Nigerian states struggling with capital flight. If businesspeople see real security and infrastructure improvements, the psychological shift from "escape and build elsewhere" to "return and rebuild" becomes possible.

The governor directed his staff to coordinate outreach to Abia residents in Lagos, Abuja, Ghana, Jos, and beyond. He's not asking people to abandon existing ventures, just to think of home first when planning their next expansion.

Community leaders responded positively, with union president Chief UC Otta Uwah pledging support and thanking Otti for delivering on promises to reclaim abandoned industrial assets.

One state's experiment in reversing economic migration could spark hope across a continent where talent and capital have long flowed outward.