The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti has pledged his administration’s full support for the establishment of a multi-million dollar dairy farm by Blue Ribbon Limited.
The governor made the commitment on Sunday while receiving a delegation from the company, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Idris Wabara, at the Government House, Umuahia.
According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Ukoha Njoku, the visit was to provide a progress report on the proposed dairy project, which was first introduced to the state government in 2024.
Responding to the delegation, Governor Otti assured the company of the state’s readiness to assist with any requirements necessary to accelerate the commencement of the project.
“I don’t know what exactly it is you are looking for, but if there is anything we can help you with, you can take that for granted. My team and I would do everything possible to support you so the project can take off,” the governor said.
He, however, expressed concern that the project had not progressed beyond the planning stage since their initial engagement last year. He emphasized the need for clearly defined timelines to ensure swift execution.
“Maybe we were not expecting that it would take one year to still be on the drawing table. But then, it is heartwarming that you are intensively on it. Most importantly, we need to also establish timelines of delivery,” he added.
Governor Otti also advised the company to explore short-term financing options with local banks while awaiting final approval and disbursement of funds from international financial institutions such as the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Afreximbank.
He noted that early local funding would help prevent further delays and mitigate the rising cost of implementation.
“By the time you send all the data to the international financiers, they will take their time to review, confirm, and process approvals. So, while waiting, you need a short-term facility to keep the project moving,” he said.
In his remarks, Mr. Wabara said the company had already engaged the AfDB and was in advanced discussions with Afreximbank, which had invited the firm to a meeting in Cairo for final funding approval.
He revealed that a team of Israeli expatriates with extensive dairy experience had conducted a feasibility study and master plan for the project, which would be concluded in Abia and then reviewed by PwC in Lagos for further data capture.
Mr. Wabara disclosed that the project’s groundbreaking would take place before the end of 2025 and expressed confidence that, with the state government’s support, the dairy farm would place Abia at the forefront of livestock investment in Nigeria.
Also present at the meeting were the Commissioner for Agriculture, Cliff Agbaeze; Director-General of the Public Private Partnership and Investment Promotion Office, Chinedum Chijioke; and the Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Chinenye Alajemba
