Alex Otti: Abia Delivers 800km of Roads, Slashes Debt by 70% in 3 Years.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, says his administration has completed 800 kilometers of roads and reduced the state’s debt burden by 70% within three years in office. The governor made the announcement during a statewide broadcast marking his administration’s third year, highlighting what he described as “a radical shift from rhetoric to results.”

According to Otti, the 800km figure covers both reconstructed and newly built roads across the 17 local government areas of the state. 

Flagship projects include the 6.7km Port Harcourt Road in Aba, which had been abandoned for over 20 years before his government awarded and completed it in 18 months. The road, now dualized with streetlights and drainage, links Aba to Port Harcourt and serves as a major economic artery for traders at Ariaria International Market.

Other key stretches completed are:

- *Umuahia–Uzuakoli–Akara Road*: 45km connecting the state capital to Abia North

- *Arochukwu–Ohafia Road*: 41.4km, opening up the agricultural belt

- *Eziukwu–Cemetery–Ngwa Road in Aba*: Critical for decongesting the commercial city

- *Multiple rural roads*: 200+km of farm-to-market roads in Isuikwuato, Bende, and Ukwa West

Otti stressed that the administration adopted “direct labor plus supervision” for most rural projects to cut costs and ensure durability. “We’re not doing roads that wash away after one rainy season. We use stone base, proper drainage, and asphalt thickness of at least 50mm,” he said.

The governor added that the 800km does not include ongoing projects like the 82km Ohafia–Arochukwu–Ihechiowa Road and the Osisioma flyover, which are slated for completion before Q4 2026.

On debt, Otti stated that Abia’s domestic and foreign debt stock has dropped from ₦191 billion in May 2023 to below ₦60 billion as of May 2026. That’s roughly a 70% cut in 36 months.:

1. *Blocking leakages*: “We stopped the monthly ₦1.5bn ‘security vote’ drain and plugged ghost worker payments. Over 2,300 ghost workers were removed from the payroll in year one alone.”

2. *Increased IGR*: Internal revenue grew from ₦600 million monthly in 2023 to ₦2.8 billion monthly in 2026, driven by digital tax collection and revived industrial zones in Aba.

3. *Debt restructuring + prudent borrowing*: The state renegotiated high-interest commercial bank loans and avoided new debt for recurrent spending. “Every kobo we’ve borrowed went into roads, hospitals, or schools. Zero borrowing for salaries or running costs,” Otti said.

Data from the Debt Management Office is expected to confirm the new figures in its Q2 2026 report. If accurate, Abia would move from one of Nigeria’s top 10 most indebted states to bottom 10 in three years.

Beyond the numbers, Otti tied the projects to real outcomes. He cited a 40% drop in travel time between Umuahia and Aba, and a 60% reduction in vehicle maintenance costs for transporters on Port Harcourt Road. 

At Ariaria Market, traders interviewed by local radio say the new road has cut delivery costs from Lagos by almost half. “Before, trailers would avoid Aba. Now they come straight here,” said Chijioke, a footwear wholesaler.

On debt, the governor argued that lower servicing costs freed up funds for salaries and pensions. Abia cleared 12 months of pension arrears in 2024 and has paid salaries on the 25th of every month since January 2025. 

Opposition figures have asked for an independent audit of the 800km claim, arguing that some “rehabilitated” roads were just graded earth roads. The state’s Commissioner for Works, Otumchere Oti, responded that the ministry will publish a detailed list with GPS coordinates of every kilometer next week.

For residents, the focus is on sustainability. “It’s not just about building. Maintain them,” said Dr. Ngozi Nwosu, a civil society advocate in Umuahia. “If these roads last 10 years, then we’ll know it’s real progress.”

Otti promised to hit 1,200km by May 2027 and to make Abia “debt-light” before the end of his first term. He also announced that 50km of roads will be commissioned monthly for the next year.

Three years in, the Otti administration is betting big on infrastructure and fiscal discipline as its legacy. 800km and 70% debt cut are headline numbers. The real test is whether traders in Aba, farmers in Bende, and pensioners in Umuahia feel the difference daily. 

For now, the tarmac is down and the debt curve is bending. Abians will decide if that equals transformation.