Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the creative industry, declaring plans to position the state as a leading destination for film production, entertainment, tourism and cultural promotion.

Otti made the pledge on Saturday while receiving a delegation of Nollywood practitioners led by film producer Francis Ifeakandu at his country home in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

The governor commended the team behind The Chronicles of Enyimba City for undertaking a project aimed at showcasing Abia’s cultural heritage, historical legacy and developmental progress, describing the initiative as consistent with his administration’s vision of leveraging the creative sector to drive investment, tourism and economic growth.

Although he noted that the state government may not directly finance privately owned film projects, Otti assured stakeholders in the entertainment industry of continued support through policies and programmes designed to create an enabling environment for growth.

According to the governor, the state remains committed to collaborating with industry players and supporting initiatives capable of promoting Abia’s image, creating opportunities for residents and stimulating economic development.

Otti also disclosed that his administration is advancing plans to establish an Entertainment City in Aba, a major project aimed at providing world-class infrastructure for filmmakers, creative professionals and investors in the entertainment sector.

He revealed that preliminary steps toward the project have already commenced, including land acquisition and compensation processes, as part of efforts to transform the vision into reality.

The governor said the proposed facility is expected to strengthen Abia’s position in Nigeria’s creative economy and attract both local and international investments into the state.

Earlier, Ifeakandu expressed appreciation to the governor for his support and praised his administration’s developmental efforts across Abia State.

He informed the governor that auditions for The Chronicles of Enyimba City had been conducted across all 17 local government areas of the state, with additional auditions held in neighbouring states and cities.

According to him, the production has been described by industry consultants as one of the largest film projects on the African continent and is intended to tell the story of Abia while promoting its culture, tourism potential and developmental achievements to a global audience.

Ifeakandu disclosed that the project features more than 2,000 cast members and is structured into six seasons, each comprising five episodes that explore different aspects of the state’s history, traditions, tourist attractions and socio-economic transformation.

He appealed for sustained government support to ensure the successful completion of the production, arguing that the project has the potential to revive Abia’s historic prominence in Nigeria’s film industry, create employment opportunities and attract new investments into the state.

The meeting highlighted growing collaboration between the Abia State Government and stakeholders in the creative sector as part of broader efforts to diversify the state’s economy and expand opportunities beyond traditional industries.