The 17th President of the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (ACCIMA), Geoffrey Uzoagbara Esq., warmly welcomed US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard M. Mills, Jr., to the Chamber’s headquarters on September 26, 2025. The meeting aimed to discuss potential areas of collaboration and strengthen trade ties between Aba, Abia State, and the United States.
During the meeting, Uzoagbara highlighted Aba’s status as the commercial hub of Nigeria’s South East, with a strong network of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and a significant contribution to the state’s GDP. He emphasized the potential for trade growth, particularly in the export of leather, footwear, textiles, and handicrafts, and suggested leveraging the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for duty-free access to the US market.
The ACCIMA President also identified key challenges facing local businesses, including inadequate access to finance, poor infrastructure, policy inconsistencies, and weak institutions. Despite these challenges, Uzoagbara expressed optimism about the potential for collaboration between Aba and international investors, citing ongoing reforms and infrastructure improvements by the Abia State Government.
Some potential areas for collaboration include tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, waste recycling, SME development, agro-processing plants, and technology start-ups. Uzoagbara also proposed the establishment of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) to support SMEs in upscaling their production and quality for export.
In conclusion, Uzoagbara assured the Ambassador that Aba and Abia State are ready, safe, and secure for investment, and suggested that embassies collaborate with city chambers to authenticate genuine businessmen for business visa applications.
The meeting marked an important step towards strengthening trade ties between Aba and the United States, and exploring new opportunities for economic growth and development.
