Governor Alex Otti of Abia State officially granted approval for a feasibility study on the Azumini–Obeaku Seaport and Inland Waterway Corridor project.
​The approval was given during a meeting at the Governor’s office in Nvosi with a delegation from the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), the firm behind the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos.
​The project is designed to provide Abia State and the wider South-East region with direct maritime access, which could transform the state into a major hub for global trade.
The proposed port is situated in Ukwa East LGA, specifically leveraging the Azumini Blue River. Preliminary reports suggest the site is approximately 19 nautical miles (about 35 km) from the high seas.
While the Chinese firm suggested a 6 to 7-month window for the study, Governor Otti has urged them to shorten the timeline to accelerate progress.
A major component of the study will be assessing the dredging requirements. Because the site is inland, significant dredging is necessary to allow large vessels to pass, which will be a primary factor in determining the project’s financial viability.
​Governor Otti emphasized that the state would not wait for the study to finish before handling the paperwork. The government is moving on three fronts. The CHEC team is expected to conduct an immediate preliminary visit to the Obeaku Blue River to assess the terrain.
The state will begin the process of securing necessary permits from the Presidency, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
The Governor noted that while the state is committed, the project will move to the construction phase only once a solid funding and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) structure is secured.
If successful, the port is expected to link with the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP) at Owaza, creating an integrated industrial and logistics corridor that could generate thousands of jobs and reduce the South-East’s reliance on Lagos-based ports.
