Otti begins Enyimba Hotel reconstruction to boost Aba economy

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Wednesday flagged off the reconstruction of the long-abandoned Enyimba Hotel, now renamed Radisson Blu Enyimba International Hotel, saying the project signals the resurgence of Aba as a premier commercial hub in West Africa.

Speaking at the event, Otti declared, “This evening, the phoenix arises. Abia is back. Enyimba is rising.”

He said the project fulfils a 54-year-old vision first conceived in 1972 by the then Administrator of East Central State, Anthony Ukpabi Asika, who envisioned the hotel as a symbol of hope and economic revival in the aftermath of the civil war.

The governor noted that the seven-storey structure had, over the decades, “come to symbolise stalled dreams,” adding that his administration was determined to rewrite that narrative.

“Once our government commits to a project publicly, it becomes inevitable that the project must be delivered and commissioned for public use on time,” he said.

Otti explained that the first phase of the Radisson Blu Enyimba Hotel project would deliver a 120-room five-star facility alongside a convention centre, adding that the development was projected to expand into a 250-room hospitality complex within four years.

“We are projecting that over the next four years, this venture will grow into a 250-room five-star hotel catering to local and international guests and events,” he stated.

The governor attributed the delay in execution since the initial announcement in 2024 to the need to establish a robust operating agreement and prepare Aba’s ecosystem to sustain a top-tier hospitality brand.

He cited improvements in road infrastructure, sanitation, security and healthcare as part of efforts to make the city investment-friendly.

“Nobody will willingly travel to destinations characterised by filth, poor road networks, deficient social services and widespread insecurity,” Otti said, adding that Aba had “emerged as one of the cleanest urban destinations in the country and among the most secure in the South-East region.”

“In the last 33 months, we have made strategic investments to align the Aba business environment with the demands of a five-star hotel ecosystem,” he added.

Otti expressed confidence that the hotel would raise service standards, attract investments and stimulate growth in related sectors, including entertainment and events.

Earlier, the governor commissioned the reconstructed Ovom Road in Aba.

In his remarks, the senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Enyinnaya Abaribe, commended Otti’s interventions, describing them as transformative.

Speaking on behalf of the Aba business community, Leo Okoye praised the administration’s development efforts, saying they had renewed investor confidence.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Board of the Greater Aba Development Authority, Ide Udeagbala, lauded the pace of infrastructural renewal in the state.

The Senior Director, Development Africa, Radisson Blu, Erwan Garnier, said the project demonstrated Abia’s readiness for greater investment and expressed confidence in delivering a global-standard hotel.