Aba

For the city in China please see Aba (China).

Aba is a city in Abia State, South East Nigeria, and also the commercial centre of Abia State. Aba is well known for its craftsmen and also the most populous city in the South Eastern Nigeria.

Understand

In 2016, Aba had an estimated population of 2.5 million (2016) and area of 72 km². Aba is mainly peopled by the Igbo ethnic group. The Igbo people are one of the indigenous peoples of South Eastern part of Nigeria make up 95% of the population of Aba. The traditional language of Aba people is Igbo. English is also widely spoken, and serves as the official language in governance and business.

Aba is the host for Abia State University Teaching Hospital which serve as referral hospitals in Abia State, Abia State Polytechnic, and Rhema University.

Aba has much arable land that produces plantains, yams, coco yam, corn (maize), potatoes, rice, cashews, taro, cassava, three leaf yam and vegetables like okra, tomatoes and cucumber. Oil palm is the most important cash crop in Aba. Upon the construction of the railway circa 1915 from Port Harcourt (36 miles [58 km] southwest), the city has become a major collecting point for agricultural produce (especially palm oil and palm kernels).

Aba is the commercial center of Abia State and it is popularly called the "Enyimba city" with a moulded Elephant as the statue. It was established by the Ngwa clan of Igbo people as a market town, in 1901. The city became an assembling point for agricultural products after the British made railway running through it from Enugu to Port Harcourt. It is a major urban settlement and commercial centre. The indigenous people of Aba are the Ngwa.

Villages

Aba is made up of many villages such as:

• Aba-Ukwu
• Eziukwu-Aba
• Obuda-Aba
• Umuokpoji-Aba
• Ohazu

Economy

Aba is surrounded by oil wells which separate it from the city of Port-Harcourt. A pipeline powers Aba with gas from the Imo River natural gas repository. The major economic contributions of Aba are textiles, palm oil, pharmaceuticals, plastics, papers, cement, and cosmetics. This trade activities makes the Ariaria International Market the second largest market in Nigeria after the Onitsha Main Market. There are also companies like Heineken brewery, a glass company and distillery within the city. Aba is famous for its handicrafts.

Get in

By plane

Travelers that want to go to Aba by air have to make use of the closest airport to Aba which is Sam Mbakwe Cargo International Airport (Owerri Airport) located in Ngokpala Imo State which is1 hr 8 min (53.8 km) via Port Harcourt - Enugu Expy/A3 and Aba-Owerri Expy/A6

. Airlines that service Sam Mbakwe Cargo International Airport are Overland Airways and Arik Air. There are buses readily available to transport people from the Airport to Aba. Also travelers who wish to come to Aba by air can make use of Port Harcourt International Airport which is 2 hours to Aba. Another airport that can also service visitors who want to come into Aba by air is Akwa Ibom Airport (Akwa Ibom State). The distance between Uyo (Akwa Ibom) and Aba is 73.28 kilometres (45.53 mi).

By train

The old metre-gauge railway from Port Harcourt has been rehabilitated and there are now daily passenger trains. As of 2024 the railway north of Aba is undergoing repairs and services are suspended until at least 2026.

• 1 Aba railway station. (updated May 2024)

By bus

Travelers who want to come to Aba by bus should feel free because there are so many reliable bus transport companies that come to Aba from other cities and states. The average cost of travelling to Aba by bus from the South-South and South-East is ₦1,700 while the average cost of travelling to Aba from the other parts of Nigeria is ₦6,000. Reliable transport companies such as the Young Shall Grow, Abia line, God is Good Motors,Faith Motors Peace Mass Transit, Imo Transort Company (ITC) among many other transport companies are readily available to convey people from different parts of the country to Aba.

Get around

Transportation in Aba is different from what you might see in most major cities in Nigeria. Aba doesn’t have much of a good road network and good roads but there has been great improvement in that area in the past two years. You must enter the city by road through any of the various transport companies as Aba does not have an airport. Visitors need to take a ride around the city through the popular Osisioma Junction since the only means of transportation within the city is via a commercial bus, a tricycle popularly known as keke or a motorbike known as okada.

See

• The Aba River is a river in southern Nigeria. It runs through the city. It is a tributary of the Imo River which borders between Imo State and Abia State. Its headwaters are in Okpu-Umuobo in the Ngwa heartland into the Aba City.
• 1 Enyimba International Stadium. It is a multi-use stadium in Aba, Nigeria. It is used mostly for football matches. It serves as a home ground of Enyimba F.C. The stadium holds 16,000 people after the installation of seats. On November 3, 2008 the stadium received a temporary ban after the home crowd attacked referees after a heated 1-1 tie with rivals Heartland F.C. (updated Jan 2023)
• 2 Ariaria International Market. Established in 1976 following a fire outbreak that destroyed the old Ekeoha Market in Aba. The market was originally sited in a swampy area. (updated Jan 2023)
• 3 Aba Nigeria Temple. A peaceful and serene environment. The landscape is heavenly the building and all the amenities are well maintained.It is an inclusive environment for children and the physically challenged.It is owned by the Latter Saints of Jesus Christ. (updated Jan 2023)
• 4 Museum of Colonial History, 6, Ikot Ekpene Rd, ☏ +234 806 283 1218. If you are on your way to Port Harcourt or just interested, this museum covers the colonial history of Nigeria. ₦200. (updated Aug 2020)
• 5 Christ The King Cathedral. Catholic cathedral and seat of the diocese of Aba. The cathedral was built in the 1950s and is a landmark in central Aba. (updated May 2024)

Do

• Iwaji Festival also known as New yam festival is the most significant festival in Aba. It is an annual celebrated at the end of the rainy season in early August in other to render thanksgiving to the gods for a good harvest. It is mostly celebrated at the grassroots level or centrally, and the celebration comes with lots of preparation and fanfare. During the festival, the first tubers of yam harvest are prepared in celebration and thanksgiving to the land’s deities for a fruitful harvest. Before the official celebration, the people perform certain rituals according to the customs and traditions of the locality. The traditional ruler or the oldest person around usually performs the ceremony. As mediators between their deities and the villagers, the chief celebrant dips a piece of the roasted yam into a bowl of palm oil and eats
• Ngwa Day festival

Buy

Markets

There are several well-known markets in Aba that serve the entire region with quality furniture, wares, fairly used wears and household wares, plastics, provisions, cosmetics, food items, etc. These markets include:

• 1 Ariaria International Market, No. 171 Faulks Road, Off-Owerri Road Aba, ☏ +234 813 364 0561. M-Sa 7AM-6PM. Ariaria International Market which is an open-air market is not only one of the largest markets in Nigeria, it is also one of the biggest in Sub-Saharan Africa. it is also one of the largest markets in West Africa and it was nicknamed "China of Africa" because of its versatility in the making of wears and leather works. The market is known for its shoe making and leather works thus making it one of the largest leather shoe-making markets in West Africa with an estimated two million traders. The market cuts across three local government areas in Abia State such as: the Aba North, Aba South and Osisioma. Ariaria International Market was established in 1976 after the fire outbreak that destroyed the old Ekeoha Market in Aba. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Ekeoha Market (Shopping Plaza) (Aba Shopping Center), Asa Road Aba, ☏ +234 813 324 9548. M-Sa 7:30AM-5PM. It is home to the freshest and finest fabrics in Nigeria. It is one of the biggest clothing markets in the Nigeria including Africa. This is a place where you can buy any type of fabric. This market is also notable for sales of electronics, electronic parts and accessories. (updated Jun 2021)
• Ehere Market also known as the Ehere Modern Market is located at the Ogbor Hill axis of Aba. It is one of the modernized and upgraded markets in Aba. It is a full-fledged and functional market where visitors can purchase a whole range of products such as groceries, food items, clothing, textile, fashion, building materials, and whole lot of other general products.
• Eziukwu Market (Cemetery Market) was established in 1987 and it was formally known as cemetery market. It is accessible on both road and rail. it is strategically located on the railway track that link Aba, Enugu, Abakiliki, Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri. It is a well known market for items such as stockfish, toiletries, drinks, stationary, groceries, cosmetics items, provisions, furniture, electrical lightings, local crafts, food items among many other items. It is a major depot for all sorts of foodstuff arriving from Northern part of Nigeria. This market shares boundary with Aba Cemetery, hence the name Cemetery Market. The market has lots of distributors, dealers and importers of different products.
• Alaoji Motor Parts Market is along the Aba Port Harcourt expressway. This is a market for vehicle spare parts both brand new and fairly used, accessories and auto mechanics. The market also has highly skilled and professional mechanics who repair and handle automobiles.
• Ahia Umungasi which is situate along Aba Owerri Road. This market encompasses mainly food items (perishable and non-perishable).

Supermarkets

• 3 Royal Supermarket, 77 Aba-Owerri Road, Abayi, ☏ +234 813 374 7464. Daily 7AM-8PM. A superstore that sells varieties of quality and original products such as household items, beauty care products, food stuff, provisions, cosmetics, food items, toiletries among many others. (updated Jun 2021)
• 4 Good Supermarket, 139 Mcc Road, Abayi, ☏ +234 818 423 6426. M-Sa 8AM-6PM. They sell wines, beverages, gift items, groceries, toiletries among others. (updated Jun 2021)
• 5 Xenev supermarket, Km 10 Glass-Force Umuchichi Road, ☏ +234 803 672 5728. M-Sa 8AM-7PM. Xenev supermarket offers sales of food items, beverages, cosmetics, toiletries, wines, gift items and lots more. (updated Jun 2021)
• Onyi Ejike Supermarket, No. 6B, Obohia Road, Aba South, ☏ +234 81 54222605. M-Sa 8AM-8PM. It sells food items, beauty products, fashion wears, wines and beverages. (updated Jun 2021)

Eat

Food you can’t afford to miss while in Aba are, Abacha, Ofe Achara, Ofe Akwu and Rice, Ofe Oha, Ofe Onugbo, Ofe Egusi,Ofe ogbono these can either go with pounded yam or fufu others are Fisherman soup, Banga, Afang and Edika Ikong.

• 1 Hybrid Super Restaurant, No. 162 Okigwe Road, ☏ +234 806 480 8766. M-Sa 11AM-5PM. Their food menu is Ofe Achara, Ofe Akwu and Rice, Ofe Oha, Ofe Onugbo, Ofe Egusi. It also offers indoor and outdoor catering services. Delivery fee ₦400, min order ₦300. (updated Jan 2023)
• 2 Easy Life Restaurant, No. 7 Ovom Road, Ogbor Hill, Ogbor Hill, ☏ +234 806 458 3998. M-Sa 8AM-9PM. (updated Jun 2021)
• 3 Petite Bouvet, No. 85/ 113 Ikot Ekpene Road Aba, Oghor-Hill, ☏ +234 806 549 0092. (updated Jan 2023)
• 4 Candies Fried Chicken, No. 196 Cameroun Road, ☏ +234 803 911 0977. (updated Jun 2021)
• 5 Good Mother Eating House, No. 221 Clifford Road, ☏ +234 703 669 6491. (updated Jun 2021)
• 6 Corporate Lodge, No. 21 Park Road, ☏ +234 803 437 8899. Dine-in, take-away, delivery. (updated Jun 2021)
• 7 My Dear Delicious Food, Shop 4, ☏ +234 813 726 0441. Dine-in, take-away, delivery. (updated Jun 2021)
• Apples Eatery, 152 Okigwe Road Aba, ☏ +234 80 6282 1218. Daily 8:30AM-9PM. Dine-in, drive-through, delivery. Fast food. Menu: cocktails, chicken wrap, fried rice, abacha and pizza. (updated Jun 2022)
• 8 Moon and Stars Bar and Restaurant, Ariaria, ☏ +234 705 474 8249. Daily 10AM - 9PM. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Jun 2022)
• 9 Sweet Restaurant, Ikot Ekpene road, ☏ +234 803 326 5055. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Jun 2022)
• 10 Dazzles Restaurant, 76 St Michael's Rd,, ☏ +234 803 789 1750. Daily 10AM - 9PM. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Jun 2022)
• 11 Fresh and Tasty Foods, 48 Umuocham Rd, near La-Hero Hotels, Abayi, ☏ +234 803 570 8808. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Jun 2022)
• 12 Hybrid Super Restaurant, 162 Okigwe Rd, Aba, Nigeria Coordinate, ☏ +234 806 480 8766. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Jun 2022)
• 13 Vical kitchen, 67 School Road, toll-free: +234 803 414 8581. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine-in and take-away. Vical kitchen offers various types of local dishes ranging from of a oha, Banga soup, chicken stew beet. (updated Jun 2022)
• 14 New day tasty Fast Food, 1, Niger stone, off Ariaria junction Osisiomo, Ariaria, ☏ +234 706 755 7368. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine-in and take-away. New day Tasty Fast food offers various menu ranging from local soups, Rice, cakes and small chops. (updated Jun 2022)
• 15 Green Life Bar, 1A Osisioma Industrial Layout, ☏ +234 813 620 6618. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Aug 2022)
• 16 Ken-Bora City Bar, 108 St Michael's Rd, ☏ +234 806 066 3258. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Delivery, dine-in and take-away. (updated Aug 2022)
• 17 Peace Restaurant, A ECN Road, By 56B Port- Harcourt Road, ☏ +234 703 544 8941. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Aug 2022)
• 18 Easy Life Restaurant, Ovom Road, Ogbor Hill, Ogbor Hill, ☏ +234 806 458 3998. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Aug 2022)
• 19 Petite Bouvet, 85/113 Ikot Ekpene Road Aba, Oghor-Hill Aba, Ogbor Hill, ☏ +234 806 549 0092. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine-in and take-away. (updated Aug 2022)
• 20 Oomnne Guest House, 8 Oomnne drive, yi Aba, Abayi, ☏ +234 805 980 6434. Daily 8AM - 10PM. Dine in and takeaway. (updated Aug 2022)

Drink

The most popular dish you can get in a beer parlor are fresh fish or Nkwobi.

• 1 The Man Food, No. 67 Okigwe Road, ☏ +234 803 670 3502. Daily 9AM-9PM. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Happybells cuisine and bar, No. 293 Aba-Owerri Road, Abayi, ☏ +234 810 063 4949. Daily 8AM-8PM. (updated Jun 2021)
• 3 Royal City Joint, No. 120 Power Line, Abayi, ☏ +234 902 513 9943. Daily 8:30AM-9:30PM. (updated Jun 2021)

Sleep

Budget

When it comes to accommodation, Aba hotels can be affordable, although there are not much luxurious hotels in Aba like most of the big cities in Nigeria,  Aba hotels are comfortable and well managed with outstanding services. If your vacation or business trip is on budget, there are so many budget hotels you can lodge in. These hotels has affordable lodging properties and basic amenities and good comfort, for example amenities like coffeemaker, satellite TV and shuttle service.

• 1 Luxury City Royal, No. 84b, Aba-Owerri Road, ☏ +234 706 188 2007. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: 10AM. Restaurant, bar/lounge, gift shop, security, 24 hours electricity, air conditions, free parking space, free internet access, a banquet hall, a meeting room, luggage storage, spa and a beauty salon, a fitness centre, a swimming pool, a conferencing facility, a business centre and a gym. There is also car hire service available and laundry/dry cleaning services are also available for guests on request. ₦11,000-35,000 per night. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 City Global Hotel Ltd, No. 32 Ekenna Avenue off Okigwe Road. City Global Hotel Ltd is a budget hotel. The price is pocket-friendly. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. Each of the rooms has air-condition, a flat screen TV, a refrigerator and an en suite bathroom. Meals can be ordered at the onsite restaurant, while guests can enjoy soft and alcoholic drinks at the bar and lounge. Laundry and car hire services are surcharged. The hotel has event facilities. The hotel has onsite parking space and guarded by security personnel round the clock. ₦5,760-15,840. (updated Jun 2021)

Splurge

Visitors that want the best amenities and the most comfort in hotels in Aba. Few of the best and most expensive hotels or resorts in Aba area:

• 3 5 kilometer Hotel, Km 5 Along Ikot-Ekpene Road, Aba Abia State. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon. 5 kilometer Hotel is a 4-star hotel and has a restaurant, bar/lounge, laundry facilities, room service, 24-hour security. (updated Jun 2021)
• 4 The Addrex Hotel & Suites Aba, No. 18 Opobo Rd, Ogbor Hill, ☏ +234 810 000 0895. Restaurant, bar, swimming pool, free parking space, free breakfast, fitness centre and air conditioned rooms. (updated Jun 2021)

Stay safe

Aba could easily be described as a beautiful and serene environment couple with the gift of nature and the atmosphere is cool and conducive. Aba is also a big trading center and the major commercial city in Abia State and it is conducive for business due to the fact that it is an industrial area. over the years, the city has grown through several challenges. Though, despite all these challenges Aba can be said to be a safe place due to a mix of her rich culture and business acumen. The city is open in terms of business, culture and religion both for residents and tourists and this makes it very easy for every one to get assimilated into the city.

Connect

The networks in certain parts of Aba can be very erratic at times. On certain days you cannot make a phone call at all or you will not be able to recharge your phone for the most of the day making business very difficult at times. But situation its occasional and that is the more reason why it is wise that travelers who wish to stay in Aba for a long term to make sure that they have at least two phones or a dual SIM phone.

Go next

From Aba, you can travel some other cities and states in Nigeria like:

• Uyo
• Port Harcourt
• Owerri
• Umuahia
• Ikot Ekpene
• Ikot Abasi (Opobo)
• Osisioma
• Afikpo