Posted on March 2, 2026
By Ugochukwu Alaribe, UMUAHIA
The Abia State Government has announced plans to dredge the Aba River to expand infrastructure and improve access to new facilities around the Enyimba Hotel waterfront.
The government also disclosed that the redeveloped hotel will include an international conference centre, while an agreement has been signed with Landmark Company to develop complementary facilities on the opposite side of the river.
Director-General of the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA), Architect Uche Ukeje, revealed in an interview that the reconstruction is expected to generate over 5,000 jobs during the building phase and more than 20,000 permanent jobs upon completion.
“We are going to dredge the Aba River to give the hotel a riverside presence. The hotel will have an international conference centre, as well as entertainment centres. An agreement has been signed with Landmark Company to develop and build facilities along the river. The hotel will be part of an ecosystem of hospitality businesses. We are also negotiating with other partners who will provide additional facilities,” he said.
Ukeje added that the project aims to bring a global hospitality brand to the city, noting that Radisson Blu is among the top hotel chains in the world and that Aba deserves world-class standards.
He disclosed that the concept for the hotel was initiated in 1973 by Ajie Ukpabi Asika, then Administrator of the former Eastern Central State, but was eventually built in 1979 by former Governor of old Imo State, Dr. Sam Mbakwe.
According to him, Abia State inherited the hotel following its creation from Imo State in 1991. The property was later sold to a group of investors led by the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA).
He explained that the investors acquired the hotel from the Imo State Government for ₦12 million, paying an initial deposit of ₦2.5 million before Abia State was carved out. The outstanding balance was subsequently paid to the Abia State Government during asset sharing, after which the hotel was handed over to the investors.
Ukeje noted that due to the investment structure, successive administrations in Abia State were unable to complete the project, as the hotel had ceased to be a government asset.
He said the current administration, led by Governor Alex Otti, is committed to reviving the project by restructuring financing arrangements with core investors and negotiating a public-private partnership (PPP) to ensure completion and protect investors’ returns.
