Abia secures $1.5b shoe factory deal from China

The Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has
brokered 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.
Ikpeazu, according to a statement by his Chief
Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, secured the
agreement during a meeting with Zhang
Huarong, the Group Chairman of the Huajian
Group, in the course of his official visit to China
for the 1st Nigeria-China Governors Investment
Forum.
The Abia State-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.
The Abia State Government will provide the land
and other investment incentives for the project,
while the Huajian Group will fund the entire
project.
Huarong, who noted that 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.
He expressed his eagerness to come to Nigeria.
The Huajian Group currently employs about
20,000 staff in China and operates a 10,000
shoes per day factory in Dongguan.
It is valued at $2 billion.
Huarong promised that he will visit Ikpeazu in
Abia State before the end of April 2017 for
further discussion on the project.
Alabatvnews.