Abia commits to building logistics ecosystem to support export – Ukaegbu

Chimezie Ukaegbu, Commissioner for Transport, Abia State, has expressed the State Government’s commitment to building a logistics ecosystem that supports export-driven industrialisation.

Ukaegbu, stated this in a keynote address, at a sensitisation seminar on non-oil exports logistics with the theme, “Addressing Challenges of Non-Oil Export Logistics in Nigeria: Abia State in Focus”, organised by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) for exporters in the State.

He explained that the State’s reform agenda is focused on improving road infrastructure and transport network connectivity, strengthening linkages between production clusters and ports, supporting Inland Container Terminal (ICT) and dry-port initiatives to decongest seaports and enhance security on trade routes.

Represented at the forum, by Jane Awa, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ukaegbu, stated that the State, would partner with the private sector to establish modern warehousing and cold-chain facilities, promote digital platforms for trade documentation and logistics coordination and facilitating export-capacity development for MSMEs.

“We are also deepening collaboration with national agencies, port authorities, financial institutions, and development partners to enhance ease-of-doing-business for exporters in Abia.”

He however noted that Government alone cannot transform the export logistics landscape and appealed to the organised private sector actors to invest in logistics technology and infrastructure.

While urging exporters and manufacturers to embrace quality standards and supply-chain best practices, he called on financial institutions to increase trade-finance support, logistics operators to innovate and provide reliable services.

“For decades, Nigeria’s economy has depended heavily on crude oil. However, the realities of fluctuating global oil markets, sustainability demands, and the urgent need for inclusive economic growth compels the country to accelerate diversification.

“Nigeria’s future prosperity lies in production, trade, and value-added exports and logistics is the backbone that will make this possible,” he stated.

He said that Nigeria is blessed with competitive advantages in manufacturing, agriculture, solid minerals, and creative industries, stressing that Abia State has a strong micro, small and medium entrepreneural (MSME ) base in leatherworks, garments, pharmaceuticals, and agro-processing.

According to him, “Aba, a globally recognised industrial hub, renowned for innovation and enterprise has a youthful, creative, and industrious population with growing investment in infrastructure and business-support institutions.”

The Abia State Commissioner for Transport, affirmed that Abia is not just an economic hub in the South-East, but an emerging export powerhouse in Nigeria and across Africa.

To fully unlock this potential, the Commissioner said that Government must address critical constraints that hinder seamless export operations, including inadequate and costly transport infrastructure port congestion and inefficiencies in cargo handling and limited access to international standard packaging and certification.

He also decried high logistics and warehousing costs, security challenges on trade corridors, delays in customs and regulatory processes and lack of harmonized logistics data and weak integration of technology.

He noted that these barriers increase cost, reduce export competitiveness, and discourage SMEs from accessing international markets.