The British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Jonny Baxter, has expressed the United Kingdom’s readiness to strengthen its partnership with Abia State in digital transformation, power, trade, investment and other areas capable of accelerating economic development in the State.
Mr. Baxter stated this on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, when he led a team from the British High Commission on a courtesy visit to the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR, at his office, ahead of the State-level Digital Transformation Programme scheduled to hold in the State.
The visit is part of the Deputy High Commissioner’s two-day official engagement in Abia, with discussions focusing on priority areas including power, trade and commerce, digital transformation, transportation, education and governance, as well as engagements with key stakeholders and tours of major projects in the State.
Mr. Baxter said the United Kingdom values its strong partnership with Nigeria, describing it as one built on shared interests, values and experiences.
“The United Kingdom has a really strong partnership with Nigeria. It is a partnership based on so many shared interests and values and shared experiences in so much depth, and it is a partnership that, on the UK side, we value massively,” he said.
He noted that the partnership has continued to expand beyond diplomatic relations to include economic cooperation, trade, investment, technology and development initiatives.
According to him, the UK is particularly interested in supporting initiatives that enable different parts of Nigeria to realise their economic potential, disclosing that 2 United Kingdom-supported programmes are currently active in Abia State.
He identified the Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa) programme, which is supporting efforts in Abia to mobilise private finance for an integrated waste management and recycling project in partnership with Kaltani, as one of the initiatives.
Mr. Baxter also highlighted the Digital Access Programme (DAP), which he said is focused on helping States create the right policy, regulatory and institutional environment for digital inclusion and expansion of the digital economy.
He said the programme will support policy and regulatory development, capacity building and stakeholder engagement, with activities in Abia aimed at ensuring that more residents can participate in the digital economy.
“The UK’s Digital Access Programme has previously supported digital inclusion, digital skills and policy development in Nigeria,” he added.
The Deputy High Commissioner disclosed that the UK is also working with communities in Arochukwu and Okporoenyi to establish sustainable connectivity hubs where residents can access the internet and digital services.
Mr. Baxter, who earlier visited the Geometric Power Plant in Aba, described the experience as fascinating, noting that reliable and affordable electricity remains one of the major constraints to economic development in Nigeria.
He commended the effort behind the integrated power project, particularly the use of reliable metering technology to build trust between electricity providers and consumers.
“It is really clear that one of the key constraints in Nigeria’s economy at the moment is the availability of power, the reliability of power and the affordability of power. To see this integrated project here, working and providing solutions to that, was really fascinating,” Mr. Baxter stated.
He said the availability of reliable electricity, together with digital connectivity and other enabling infrastructure, could create the conditions necessary for businesses to invest and expand.
Mr. Baxter also expressed interest in Abia’s efforts to retain skilled professionals and create opportunities that would encourage young people to contribute to the development of their communities rather than being compelled to leave in search of opportunities.
Referring to the migration summit to be hosted by Abia, he said the discussion around creating incentives for people to remain and contribute to their communities is important, while noting that people who migrate should also be better informed about the realities they may encounter abroad.
He assured the Governor that the UK would continue to explore opportunities for partnership with Abia State government, business and company levels, including connecting Abia businesses with potential UK partners and supply chains.
Governor Otti thanked the British Deputy High Commissioner and his team for visiting Abia, saying that the State is open to partnerships capable of strengthening its economic development.
The Governor particularly welcomed Baxter’s visit to the Geometric Power Plant, describing electricity as central to the success of Abia’s manufacturing and business community.
Gov. Otti said his administration is working to expand reliable electricity supply across the State, stressing that the cost of unreliable power is ultimately higher for businesses because of dependence on generators, diesel and maintenance.
“Once you have reliable power, whatever the cost is, it is still going to be cheaper than not having reliable power,” the Governor said.
Gov. Otti noted that Aba has a strong manufacturing base, particularly in footwear, garments and other locally produced goods, and said the State Government is working with partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to improve finishing, packaging and export opportunities for locally made products.
Gov. Otti said the State is also working to expand power supply beyond Aba, including efforts to secure the necessary rights to enable Abia to operate as an integrated power market, leveraging the infrastructure already available at Geometric Power.
On waste management, the Governor welcomed the information that Kaltani is working with UK partners, saying the State is interested in moving beyond waste collection to recycling and the conversion of waste into useful products and energy.
“If you can generate energy, if you can also generate products by recycling the waste, why not? So, I’m glad that they are working with UK partners. But there is a whole lot more that can be done,” the Governor stated.
Governor Otti assured of the State Government’s participation in the Digital Access Programme engagement scheduled for Thursday, noting that the State Government will continue working with the UK team to identify practical areas of collaboration.
The Governor said one of the challenges confronting Nigeria is the migration of skilled professionals, particularly healthcare workers. He disclosed that his administration has approved the recruitment of close to 1,000 healthcare professionals, with about 200 vacancies still to be filled, as well as plans to establish a medical city in Abia, saying that discussions have commenced with a company working with UK partners on the project.
“The whole idea is to reverse medical tourism. So if we have comparable facilities and healthcare professionals, nobody needs to go to Dubai or India to access quality medical care,” Gov. Otti stated.
The Governor thanked the Deputy High Commissioner for the visit and expressed optimism that the engagement would lead to stronger government-to-government and business-to-business partnerships that will support Abia’s economic transformation.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Ph.D., and other top officials of the government were present at the meeting.
Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
September 16, 2026.
