Two long dormant Aba manufacturing firms, the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company and the Enyimba Garments Factory, have established five production lines between them and are developing new brand lines capable of competing internationally, Abia State says, crediting the turnaround to reforms under Governor Alex Otti’s administration.
Commissioner for Information Okey Kanu, briefing reporters after this week’s State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia, said both firms have returned to active production after years of decline, a revival he attributed to the Otti administration’s reforms and the 2025 appointment of Nena Kalu Ogba to oversee the companies, calling it a reflection of the government’s commitment to industrialisation, job creation and sustainable economic growth. To date, he said, the factories have established five production lines between them, with new management now developing fresh brand lines capable of competing in international markets.
Kanu also announced that the state government will soon flag off the Pocket Layout Industrial Estate project, designed to provide functional, affordable housing for residents, with the procurement process now at an advanced stage after bids from prospective contractors were opened, meaning a list of successful bidders should be published within the next week or so. He said the project spans two components, the old Civil Service Commission premises and the defunct Abia Hotels premises, both currently being cleared to allow construction to begin.
Enyimba Automated Shoe Company and Enyimba Garment Factory Chief Executive Nena Kalu Ogba said the state successfully revived both factories by acquiring modern production and finishing equipment capable of competing with global brands, crediting the governor for providing the funds needed to purchase new machinery. She said the intervention specifically targets the long held perception that Aba made products carry inferior quality, noting the factories have been rehabilitated into conducive production environments while worker welfare has improved through regular salary payments, and that the facilities are now positioned to produce footwear and garments capable of meeting international standards, with government committed to ensuring the firms actually deliver.
