Abia Gets $1.5b Shoe Factory Deal from China

By Dipo Olowookere

A $1.5 billion project for the establishment of a shoe industry in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State from Huajian shoe industry in Dongguan, Guangzhou, China has been brokered by the state Governor, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu.

The Abia-Huajian Shoe Industrial City, which will be located in Aba, will have capacity to produce 5,000 shoes per day and employ about 10,000 people directly and indirectly.

It was learnt that the state government will provide the land and other investment incentives for the project, while the Huajian Group will fund the entire project.

The Governor, in a statement issued today by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Enyinnaya Appolos, said the deal was secured during a meeting with the Chairman of the Huajian Group, Mr Zhang Huarong, in the course of his official visit to China for the 1st Nigeria-China Governors Investment Forum.

Mr Huarong, who noted that Mr Ikpeazu was the first Nigerian leader to visit him, disclosed that the Huajian Group was already employing 6,000 staff and is currently developing a 250 Acre Industrial City in Ethiopia and expressed his eagerness to come to Nigeria.

Huajian Group currently employs about 20,000 staff in China and operates a 10,000 shoes per day Factory in Dongguan valued at $2 billion.

Mr Huarong assured that he will visit the Governor in Abia before the end of April 2017 for further discussion on the project.