The economic revival of Nigeria’s Southeast region may hinge on strategic infrastructural interventions, according to the South East Business and Investment Summit (SEBIS 2.0). During a one-day sensitization and economic summit themed “Remaking the South East as Economic Powerhouse,” held at Royal Hall, All Saints Cathedral Church, Onitsha, Anambra State, the group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently equip the Ikom-Cameroon border to reinvigorate trade and socio-economic activities in the region.

Dr Ifedi Okwenna, Executive Secretary of SEBIS 2.0, highlighted the urgent need for government intervention, pointing to the deteriorating business climate in Southeastern states including Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, and parts of the South-South region. According to Akahi News, the lack of a functional border linking Nigeria to neighbouring African countries has significantly stifled trade and contributed to the decline of the region’s once-thriving economy.

“The Ikom-Cameroon border, once a key trade corridor, is now largely dormant and primarily serves local fish farmers,” Okwenna explained. “If properly equipped, it could open up export opportunities for traders from Aba, Onitsha, and other industrial hubs to Cameroon, Gabon, Togo, and beyond. This intervention has the potential to rejuvenate businesses that are currently struggling and restore the Southeast’s historical role as an economic powerhouse,” Akahi News reported.

Officials from the Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council have both raised concerns about the border’s dilapidated state. Currently, goods manufactured in the Southeast are transported to Lagos for export, a route that imposes higher costs, delays delivery, and limits the competitiveness of local industries. Akahi News further noted that this inefficiency prevents the Southeast from fully contributing to Nigeria’s national export earnings.

Okwenna stressed that the rehabilitation of the Ikom-Cameroon border would not only enhance Nigeria’s export capacity but also create thousands of jobs for youths in the region, helping address high unemployment rates. As Akahi News highlights, such an initiative could transform the Southeast into a major hub for regional trade and industrial growth.

The summit attracted a diverse group of stakeholders including academics, entrepreneurs, government officials, and investors from across Nigeria and the diaspora. Notable attendees included Prof Chinedu Nebo, former Minister of Power and Vice-Chancellor of the University on the Niger, Umunya; Prof Olusegun Dapo Sogbeson, Director General of Onitsha Business School; and Engr Chito Onuzulike, Assistant Director of the Anambra office of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). Akahi News reported that all pledged support for SEBIS 2.0’s vision of revitalising trade infrastructure in the Southeast.

The event featured panel discussions, roadshows, and town hall meetings that underscored the urgency of investing in functional border infrastructure. Experts emphasised that a revitalized border would improve export capacity, attract sustainable investments, stimulate local production, and foster regional integration with other African markets. Akahi News noted that coordinated efforts between government agencies, local entrepreneurs, and investors could elevate the Southeast’s commercial and industrial profile significantly.

Observers stressed that the Southeast region has immense potential for growth if strategic interventions are implemented. SEBIS 2.0’s call to action to the Federal Government represents a concerted effort to align local economic activities with national development goals. Akahi News highlighted that enabling this trade corridor could restore the Southeast’s leadership in Nigeria’s industrial and commercial landscape, benefiting not just the region but the entire country.

Additionally, experts at the summit highlighted that revitalizing the Ikom-Cameroon border would encourage exports of manufactured goods directly from Aba and Onitsha, reducing dependency on Lagos as a transit point. Akahi News reported that the current route through Lagos increases transportation costs, causes delays, and reduces the competitiveness of products from the Southeast in international markets.

The conference also emphasised that government intervention in border infrastructure could attract foreign direct investment (FDI), create more opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and stimulate sustainable economic growth. According to Akahi News, this is a long-overdue intervention that could transform the region’s economic trajectory if implemented promptly.

SEBIS 2.0’s appeal to the Federal Government reflects the region’s pressing need for strategic infrastructure investments to revive its commercial and industrial potential. Akahi News reiterated that proper equipping of the Ikom-Cameroon border could mark a turning point for the Southeast, unlocking new trade corridors, generating employment, and repositioning the region as a key player in Africa’s economic landscape.

By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Akahi News http://www.akahinews.org