BY CHARLES NWAOGUJI ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 · BUSINESS


The Aba shoe industry project in South-East Nigeria is heading for global market with daily export fig­ures of one million pairs to other African countries, the President of the Abia Think Tank Association, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa has said.

Ohuabunwa , who stated this during a press conference ahead of a two-day economic sum­mit in Aba, said that the shoemakers produce quality that compares with the Italian brands, adding that despite leading the Africa market, they are yet to have presence outside the con­tinent.

“We have started forming the shoemakers into cooperative societies so that they can have access to funding from development finance institutions like the Bank of Industry as well as capacity building and linkage to international market, “ he said.

He explained that when he was in Aba where they make shoes billed for Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Gabon even to Zaira over one million pairs of shoes are exported daily out of Aba.

“I found out that they were doing the work without mini­mum support from anybody. But when I calculated their returns on those investments, I found it was peanuts. They work like elephant but eat like ant. They sweat to bring in their ingenuity but because they are not properly har­nessed, the return on invest­ments is meager,” he said.

The former Chairman of Economic Summit Group la­mented that one of the great­est problems facing made-in-Nigeria products is the lack of policy backing by the govern­ment.

“When products made- in- Nigeria are patronized by government and ordinary people then more goods will be produced, wealth created and prosperity will be spread among Nigerians,” he said.

He stated that once the made-in-Nigeria policy is sustained in the medium and long term percentage of Ni­geria’s manufacturer products in composite of export will in­crease and percentage of total imported goods will decrease.

If the policy is properly im­plemented, he said there will be wealth creation and more employment in Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to de­velop confidence in Made-in-Nigeria products and trade on the products in order to facili­tate more productivity in the country.

Ohuabunwa pointed out that Aba remains the econom­ic and industrial hub of Eastern states and Nigeria with great potentialities yawning for ex­ploitation.

He explained that the forthcoming summit with the theme, “Aba as the Cen­terpiece of Abia Economic Renaissance” will consolidate and deepen the gains of the previous edition and maintain the momentum in focusing at­tention of private and public sectors in Aba to resolve a ver­itable and strategic roadmap for the state’s development.

Abagworo: BY CHARLES NWAOGUJI ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 · BUSINESS


The Aba shoe industry project in South-East Nigeria is heading for global market with daily export fig­ures of one million pairs to other African countries, the President of the Abia Think Tank Association, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa has said.

Ohuabunwa , who stated this during a press conference ahead of a two-day economic sum­mit in Aba, said that the shoemakers produce quality that compares with the Italian brands, adding that despite leading the Africa market, they are yet to have presence outside the con­tinent.

“We have started forming the shoemakers into cooperative societies so that they can have access to funding from development finance institutions like the Bank of Industry as well as capacity building and linkage to international market, “ he said.

He explained that when he was in Aba where they make shoes billed for Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Gabon even to Zaira over one million pairs of shoes are exported daily out of Aba.

“I found out that they were doing the work without mini­mum support from anybody. But when I calculated their returns on those investments, I found it was peanuts. They work like elephant but eat like ant. They sweat to bring in their ingenuity but because they are not properly har­nessed, the return on invest­ments is meager,” he said.

The former Chairman of Economic Summit Group la­mented that one of the great­est problems facing made-in-Nigeria products is the lack of policy backing by the govern­ment.

“When products made- in- Nigeria are patronized by government and ordinary people then more goods will be produced, wealth created and prosperity will be spread among Nigerians,” he said.

He stated that once the made-in-Nigeria policy is sustained in the medium and long term percentage of Ni­geria’s manufacturer products in composite of export will in­crease and percentage of total imported goods will decrease.

If the policy is properly im­plemented, he said there will be wealth creation and more employment in Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to de­velop confidence in Made-in-Nigeria products and trade on the products in order to facili­tate more productivity in the country.

Ohuabunwa pointed out that Aba remains the econom­ic and industrial hub of Eastern states and Nigeria with great potentialities yawning for ex­ploitation.

He explained that the forthcoming summit with the theme, “Aba as the Cen­terpiece of Abia Economic Renaissance” will consolidate and deepen the gains of the previous edition and maintain the momentum in focusing at­tention of private and public sectors in Aba to resolve a ver­itable and strategic roadmap for the state’s development.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=82882

egift: Nice. Aba is grossly untapped. I had hoped the State Government would have done far more by now:
- Provide electricity
- Build the roads
- Provide Water
- Increase security
- Expand Housing development
- Provide capital to new and existing businesses to help the boost production.
- Build multipurpose factories where certain regular operations requiring heavy machines can be done.
- Setup Recycling plant within the state, etc.

asha80: nice points except govt does not build factories.

gratiaeo: A large percentage of Nigeria are wearing made in Aba products some without known

goldfish80: It's long overdue these made in Nigeria shoes, cloths and bags are properly tagged MADE IN NAIJA or PROUDLY NAIJA. Top government officials like the president and Nigerian celebrities who have broken the frontiers of the International should champion this course. We just can't keep on producing beautiful shoes and tagging them made in Italy. It sickens me when I see such.

ISpiksDaTroof: One million pairs a day is obviously a gross exaggeration...but then again if the amount is not inflated then the news is not coming from the South East.

ISpiksDaTroof: One million pairs a day is obviously a gross exaggeration...but then again if the amount is not inflated then the news is not coming from the South East.

ISpiksDaTroof: One million pairs a day is obviously a gross exaggeration...but then again if the amount is not inflated then the news is not coming from the South East.

Donmarrius: I have been longing for this.

Truth is that,its only Abia and Anambra,that can give Lagos a run for her money.

The administrations in Anambra starting from Obi to Obiano,are actually getting it right,but more needs to be done.

While in Abia,i was thinking Orji Uzor was either suffering from greed and hence,kept the state fund to himself or he is lucifer that took over the governance of Abia state,so as to imporvrish the people therein,untill i was able to understand that,T.A Orji,is the combination of the two,summarily tagged the "greedy luficer".