Flag-off Construction of Enyimba Hotels, A Bold Move to Boost The Abia Hospitality Industry

Written by Divine Nwankwo

Today, the 25th of February, the visionary, era-defining Governor of Abia state, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti OFR, will formally flag off the construction of the new Enyimba International Hotel Limited, Aba, the Enyimba city.

The establishment of the Enyimba International Hotel project started by the former government of the Imo state during the administration of late Chief Sam Mbakwe in 1979, and was handed over to Abia State as part of the government property Abia inherited from the old Imo State’s assets sharing in 1991 when Abia was created.

It is pertinent to emphasise that the reason behind the establishment of the hotel by Late Chief Sam Mbakwe was to provide shelter and relaxation spots for top businessmen and tourists who would visit Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.

It is therefore surprising and worrisome that the hotel with its potential and the huge economic benefits associated with it has remained stagnated without any progress. This is more disturbing as given the fact that investors throng Aba to do business on a daily basis, and what the government and people of the state stand to derive from the facility has been lost as it has been lying waste over these decades.

It is also regrettable that the hotel facility has been serving as a habitat and safe haven cum hideout for criminals and miscreants and illegal squatters.

It is unfortunate that since the creation of Abia in 1991 the facility has remained moribund and comatose as successive administrations have paid lip services to the resuscitation of the hotel.

However, with the inception of Governor Alex Otti, the hitherto comatose facility and long abandoned Enyimba International Hotels Aba got a deserving attention, as His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti engaged the services of the globally respected hospitality firm, Radisson Blu to do a total construction and make the hotel tourism destination in Nigeria.

It could be recalled that, this focused and economic development – driven administration of Governor Alex Otti had on Friday February 7, 2026, finalised arrangements of revitalising the facility, by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Abia State Government and the Radisson Blu.

The Memorandum of Understanding which was signed at the headquarters of the Radisson Blu in Lagos, particularly for the reconstruction and expansion of Enyimba International Hotel Aba, was also for the construction of an international conference and exhibition centre.

Obviously, Governor Otti is today fulfilling the dream of Late Sam Mbakwe in erecting the gigantic structure which promises to be a five star hotel.

Therefore, the flag off of the project and revamping the hotel is one of the Governor Otti ‘s major moves to not only boost economy of the state in line with his electioneering campaign promises, and his unwavering efforts to build a new Abia and transform Aba, the economic nerve centre of the state, but to make the state the business hub of the South East and destination of choice.

Conceiving the idea of reconstructing and revamping the Enyimba International Hotels Aba underscores Governor Otti’s determination and commitment to fulfilling his promise of complete turn around of the state from the near decrepit status it wore over decades to a model state with the requisite infrastructure, beauty, ambiance and the economic well-being geared  towards making the inhabitants comfortable and attracting more people, particularly investors to the state. It actually marks another turning point in the life of the Dr. Alex Otti government’s quest to revamp moribund industries and institutions in the state.

Truly, Governor Alex Otti’s vision is to recover the structure and bring to fruition the Dee  Sam Mbakwe’s vision, was manifested in the enormous efforts and passion he had put in, in resolving every legal and contractual issues that earlier threatened the plans he has concerning the Enyimba International Hotel project.

The whole plan is to make Aba a destination of tourists and conferences, trade shows and other human engagements that happen always in South South and South East. Having a first class hospitality facility like the Enyimba International Hotel in Aba is indeed significant in many ways. Aba is served with some regional and  international airports including the airports in Port Harcourt, Enugu, Owerri and Uyo as well as the upcoming Abia airport in Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa North. It is therefore easier for people to have conferences in Aba.

Governor Otti led government is really taking the advantage of the centrality of Aba is to position Aba as an attraction to anybody coming into it as a destination of choice and of course, to provide facilities that would enable government increase the number of visitors that come to Abia which obviously would lead to increase economic activities.

It gladdens the heart that the construction of the Enyimba International Hotel Aba has commenced with this flag off and would be completed within 24 months.

In order to ensure that the project would be both massive and monumental on completion, the development oriented Governor of Abia state, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, opted for a brand that is both renowned and reputable in the hospitality business, and gave a directive that the Enyimba International Hotel be reconstructed.

Indeed the Enyimba International Hotel project is expected to be a hospitality masterpiece featuring a world-class Five-star hotel, event facilities, including a 250-room hotel facility, a 2,500-seat main hall, 1,500 and 1,000 capacities conference rooms, multiple smaller halls, and a large exhibition space, which would make Aba a destination of choice for conferences and other accommodations available.

Also worthy of note is that, the 250-room hotel facility will commence with an initial number of 155 rooms, and over time, scale up to 250 rooms. When fully operational, the facility would provide about 5,500 direct and indirect jobs.

Of course, the benefits associated with the project are enormous as the hotel would allow the state government to drive its economic growth, boost internally generated revenue for the state government. and provide the state with very visible presence in the Nigerian hospitality industry.

Already, with its commendable achievements in road infrastructure, security and waste management, the state has seen a serious upsurge in the population of people trooping to Aba and Umuahia, a development that requires that the state invest massively in the hospitality industry like Enyimba International Hotel. Abians and Abia residents cannot wait to see the completion of Enyimba International Hotel, Aba as it is being flagged off.

Divine Nwankwo
HOD Information and Press Government House Umuahia