By Wisdom Nwedene, Abakaliki
The debate surrounding the naming of the newly established Abakaliki Cement Factory should be approached from the perspectives of law, commerce and strategic branding rather than emotion, according to the Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on New Media, Leo Ekene Oketa
Oketa, in a statement issued on Thursday, July 30, 2026, explained that the use of the name Abakaliki Cement Factory does not imply that the industrial project has been relocated from its host community, Nkalagu.
According to him, Abakaliki, being the capital of Ebonyi State, has over the years become one of the most recognised identities associated with the state, making it appropriate as a corporate brand for a major industrial investment belonging to the people of Ebonyi.
He noted that the name represents Ebonyi State as a whole and should not be interpreted as identifying the physical location of the factory.
The Governor’s aide further argued that the state is establishing a new cement company rather than simply reviving the former NIGERCEM, making the adoption of a fresh corporate identity necessary to avoid possible legal complications arising from previous registrations, ownership claims, trademarks and other historical encumbrances.
“Investors are attracted to certainty, not litigation,” Oketa stated, stressing that the state government would be acting imprudently if it exposed a major investment funded with significant financial resources, including borrowed funds, to avoidable legal disputes.
He also recalled that both NIGERCEM and the name Ebonyi Cement have been associated with longstanding legal disputes and competing claims, adding that stakeholders familiar with the history of the cement industry in the state are aware of the challenges.
Oketa said Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, as the chief executive responsible for protecting the interests of the people of Ebonyi State, has a duty to ensure that the multi-billion-naira investment is shielded from claims that could delay, frustrate or jeopardise its success.
He emphasised that the cement factory belongs to the people of Ebonyi State and not to any individual or community, arguing that the name Abakaliki Cement Factory provides the project with a distinct corporate identity capable of operating without the historical encumbrances associated with previous cement companies.
The Governor’s aide, however, clarified that a company’s registered name is different from its physical location.
He maintained that Nkalagu remains the host community of the cement factory and should continue to receive all the recognition, benefits and development associated with hosting such a major industrial project.
“Naming the company Abakaliki Cement Factory neither relocates the factory nor diminishes the historical significance of Nkalagu,” he said.
According to him, the major concern should be the successful completion and operation of a world-class cement plant capable of creating employment opportunities, stimulating industrialisation, strengthening Ebonyi’s economy and restoring the state to its position on Nigeria’s industrial map.
Oketa said the development aligns with the Nwifuru administration’s broader agenda of industrialisation, economic transformation, sustainable job creation and long-term prosperity for the people of Ebonyi State.
He concluded that history would ultimately judge the project not by the name on its certificate of incorporation, but by the economic opportunities and prosperity it delivers to the people of Ebonyi State.
“That should remain our collective priority,” he added.
