Aba

Aba is the largest city in Abia State and the principal commercial hub of southeastern Nigeria. Its name originates from the Ngwa clan of the Igbo people, who founded it as a market town long before the colonial era. In 1901 the British established a military post there, and around 1915 a railway was built linking Aba to the port of Port Harcourt. This turned the settlement into a major collection point for palm oil and palm kernels bound for European markets.

Aba holds a special place in history as the stage of one of Africa's largest anti-colonial uprisings — the Women's War of 1929. Nearly ten thousand Igbo women marched in protest against colonial taxation, demanding the removal of a district officer. The clashes claimed between 55 and over 100 lives, yet the demonstration drew global attention to British administrative practices. By the 1930s Aba had evolved into a full-fledged urban centre with an established industrial complex.

Today Aba is nicknamed Enyimba — the "Great Bull City" — in recognition of its economic strength. The city thrives in textiles, pharmaceuticals, footwear, plastics and cosmetics manufacturing. A 30-kilometre pipeline from the Imo River natural-gas field powers its industrial estate. Aba remains a powerful symbol of Igbo entrepreneurship and one of Nigeria's most populous cities.