Today, we travel to Abia State as the Make Nigeria Better bandwagon rolls across Nigeria. This state alone can generate more then Nigeria currently earns from crude oil revenue if it is firing on all cylinders

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Abians are arguably the most industrious people in Nigeria. Especially those our Abriba people and all the others from the old Bende District who have a monopoly on the clothing and footwear industry which they run from Aba

[2] To cash in on this, I think the Abia State government should fund the construction of 12 technical vocational training colleges across the state aimed at making it the new fashion capital of the world

[3] In addition, the Abia State government should enter into a deal with Nigeria’s Bank of Industry to open five branches across the state. Under the terms of this arrangement, no Aba manufacturer will be charged more than 5% on any loans taken out

[4] Any new manufacturer opening up in a clothing or footwear plant in Abia State will get a five year tax holiday, underwritten by the state government

[5] Anyone who switches from being a distributor to a manufacturer of footwear and clothing materials will receive interest-free loans

[6] Furthermore, the Abia State government will be mandated to set aside land for the opening of an automobile manufacturing plant as Nigeria seeks to cash in on the electric car boom

[7] Also, Nigeria’s federal government will take out a 25% in an Aba leather tanning factory that will aim to manufacture enough to produce 10m shoes a year

[8] Our Abia State government must also pass a new law under which any clean energy product manufacturer who opens a plant in Aba will get a 10-year tax holiday

[9] Our Abia State government needs to construct rail links linking Aba to the ports of Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar to facilitate the easy shipment of manufactured goods

[10] Nigeria’s federal government should take out a 25% in a local manufacturing conglomerate to be known as Ngwa Enterprises. It will aim to become the Mitsubishi of Nigeria