Abia Set to Host Made-in-Aba Expo 2026 as Government Targets Investors and Global Markets

Preparations for the Made-in-Nigeria (Made-in-Aba) Product Expo 2026 have entered full implementation, with the Abia State Government stepping up efforts to showcase the State’s manufacturing strength, entrepreneurial capacity and growing industrial potential to investors and buyers within and outside Nigeria.

The five-day Expo, organised by the Abia State Government in partnership with the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Project Office, is scheduled to hold from September 22 to 26, 2026, at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.

The event will be held under the theme, “Showcasing South-East Enterprise, Driving Investment and Accelerating Made-in-Nigeria.”

Speaking on the preparations, the Commissioner for Industry and SMEs, Mazi Michael Enyinnaya Akpara, said the Expo would create an important platform for manufacturers, entrepreneurs, investors, buyers and other stakeholders to establish business connections, access new markets and explore investment opportunities.

According to him, the event will feature a wide range of activities, including product exhibitions, an Investment and Business Forum, business-to-business meetings, MSME clinics, as well as cultural and food showcases.

The Expo is expected to attract exhibitors from Abia State, the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, providing local businesses with an opportunity to display their products before a wider national and international audience.

Akpara also disclosed that the Abia State Product Expo 2026 Planning and Implementation Committee has been inaugurated and is already fully operational.

He added that exhibitor registration is currently open to manufacturers, entrepreneurs and artisans across Abia and the wider South-East, urging businesses and other relevant stakeholders to take advantage of the platform.

The Commissioner called on manufacturers, artisans, entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions, development partners and international buyers to participate actively in the Expo, describing it as an opportunity to build partnerships, expand markets and unlock new business opportunities.

Abia Promises Massive Publicity

Also speaking during the engagement, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Okey Kanu, assured organisers and participants that his Ministry would deploy its publicity machinery to give the Expo extensive visibility.

Kanu stressed that the publicity campaign would be broad and aggressive enough to attract substantial participation, investment and business opportunities to Abia.

He said the publicity would “reach the ends of the earth,” underscoring the State Government’s determination to place the Made-in-Aba brand before a global audience.

The renewed push for the Expo comes as Abia continues to strengthen its reputation as one of Nigeria’s major hubs for small and medium-scale manufacturing and entrepreneurship.

Beyond product exhibition, the 2026 Expo is expected to help businesses improve market access, visibility, investment connections and business-to-business relationships, while further promoting Made-in-Aba as a brand associated with originality, craftsmanship, creativity and quality.

With manufacturers and entrepreneurs expected from across the country, the event could provide a significant platform for Abia businesses to move beyond traditional markets and connect with new customers, investors and strategic partners.

The engagement was attended by Mr. Green Amakwe, Special Adviser on PPP; Mr. George Nwabueze, National Coordinator; and Nwosu Chinyere, Abia State Coordinator of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Project.

As preparations gather momentum, all eyes will be on Umuahia in September as Abia seeks to turn the Made-in-Aba brand into an even stronger vehicle for enterprise development, investment attraction and economic growth.