Indonesia Seeks Investment Opportunities, Areas of Economic Partnerships with Abia

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Indonesia has joined other nations that have signified interest to invest in Abia State and explore other areas of economic interests for partnerships with the state.

The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Usra Hendra Harahap, disclosed his country’s economic interest and intentions in Abia State when he came to the state on a working visit, and was warmly received by the state Governor, Alex Otti.

According to a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kazie Uko, Harahap expressed his country’s “sincere commitment to fostering diplomatic cooperation with Nigeria and Abia State.”

He said his visit “signifies Indonesia’s keen interest in establishing meaningful partnerships in crucial sectors of Abia State economy, namely: trade, investment, agriculture, education, technology, con-struction and works, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, as well as entrepreneurship.”

The envoy stated that the chosen sectors of interest hold the key to unlocking shared economic prosperity and creating opportunities for the people of Indonesia and Abia State.

Two nations from Eastern Europe-Poland and Bulgaria-had at the close of 2023 entered into economic partnerships with Abia State in their respective selected areas of interest.

But the Indonesian ambassador, who came to the state in company of his wife, explained that his country had done its homework before it decided to pick Abia as a state to partner for mutual economic benefits.

He told Otti that: “From our findings about Abia State, your state has enormous natural resources and played important role in the region.

“We recognise the agricultural potential of your region and envision collaboration between Indonesia and Abia State businesses in areas such as food processing, agricultural machinery, and irrigation.”

Harahap further explained what the partnership would mean for Abia State, citing the education sector, where his country would offer scholarships to bright and ambitious students from the state to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

He said: “There will be financial assistance offered by our government to pursue doctoral, master and under-graduate degrees (programmes) in one of Indonesian universities.”

Meanwhile, Governor Otti welcomed the envisaged partnership with Indonesia, saying Abia State remains open and serious-minded about partnering willing countries and organisations for the economic development of the state.

Aside the chosen areas of interest by Indonesia such as education, agriculture and health, Otti specifically asked the Southeast Asian nation to assist Abia State in the area of SMEs, entrepreneurship, technology and sea port development.

He assured Harahap that Abia State Government would be willing to work with investors from Indonesia to develop these sectors of the state’s economy, adding that the enabling environment is in place for Indonesian businesses to thrive.

According to him, “A few requests that we want to make, one of them is the establishment of an entrepreneurship and technology development centre in the state, either in Aba or Umuahia. Umuahia is the state capital, Aba is the industrial and commercial hub.

“If we can work together to establish an entrepreneurship and technology centre anywhere in the state, I know you’ve done that for a few countries, you can also do that for us here.”

The governor also informed the Indonesian ambassador of the state quest to build a sea port with the private sector partnership Ukwa East, close to Ukwa-West where we have the oil and gas deposits.