It is worth pondering whether the coming of the Geometric power plant Aba would change the real estate prospects of Enyimba City. Enyimba City as Aba is fondly called is one of the most built-up cities in Nigeria. Aba is located in South East Nigeria (Igbo Mainland). Igbos seem in love with high-rise buildings and have the highest concentration of multi-story buildings in West Africa. It can be seen from here that the Igbos love buildings soaring into the sky. In all these, the most multi-story buildings in Igboland are within 7-story buildings.
Cause of the Lack of Skyscrapers in Aba Currently
Skyscrapers demand high use of electricity plus other skyscraper technologies. Skyscrapers are super tall buildings. This means staircases will not be effective in climbing and descending a skyscraper. The question now is, would the coming of the Geometric power plant Aba be able to rectify the gap in Electricity supply to power such skyscrapers?
There’s a need to install elevators in such buildings. With the need for an elevator comes the need for stable electricity. Without electricity, other required skyscraper technologies may not work properly. Unlike regular buildings, skyscraper construction itself can be very demanding. High-volume steel use would also require more power in the construction stage.
With the Emergence of the Geometric Power Plant Aba, Would Real Estate Scope Change?
The Geometric Power plant Aba has promised stable electricity. With the Igbos’ love for tall buildings, the real estate fortune in the region is likely about to change. Arguably, the Igbos are one of the richest and most traveled people in Africa, and a stable power supply would bring a unique kind of structural development. Aba has been one of the most industrialized Cities in Nigeria and it won’t come as a surprise that there will be a fast-paced development given stable electricity. Without stable electricity, residential and privately owned skyscrapers are costly to maintain.
Wealth Distribution and Potential Impact On the Emergence of Skyscrapers
The Igbo Wealth is very much on the people, the government holding a substantial amount of financial power is a big force in the East however, a bulk of wealth control lies with the people. The East has a good wealth distribution with the highest number of middle-class than any other zone in the country, it is most likely that private citizens constitute a greater bulk of the real estate sector in the East.
It is important to understand the capacity of the private sector in the East, even the said Geometric power plant Aba is established by a private citizen (Professor Bartholomew Nnaji). This shows the amount of influence the people wield in the East. The East tilts towards capitalism than any other economic system.
This means that the erecting of skyscrapers may also fall on the private sector. To get a clearer picture, one of the tallest buildings in Igboland today is built by a private Citizen (Doctor Godwin Maduka). From here one may see a likely trend that may emerge should the Geometric power plant Aba guarantee a power supply condition that is stable.
From the multi-story building cluster in Aba, and with the new industrial and economic layouts that the state government is creating, it is possible that these new economic zones would wear the looks of modern high economic and trade zones; what are such zones without skyscrapers? Skyscrapers is emerging as the face of global trade and commerce and Aba may likely go that route to attract more international attention, trade, and commerce and also to solidify its place as the indigenous industrial headquarters in Nigeria.
Would there be available demand for skyscrapers in Aba?
Every business thinks about the available market before investing. This also applies to real estate. While other variables for skyscraper construction and functionality are there, demand and supply need to be considered. Aba has always been a center for trade and industry. Several West African market relies on Aba for supply. This indeed means there’s an existing market in Aba.
The question is would the existing markets translate to skyscraper demand? Well, apart from the existing markets, new entries are emerging. Several international corporations are showing interest in investing in Aba. Aba is one of the most densely populated cities in the country, the people are also relatively wealthy and can afford skyscraper accommodations. We are confident that the market for skyscrapers in Aba is available. With an available market, stable power supply, and the availability of other skyscraper technologies, Aba is likely ready to rise.
Conclusion
The building of skyscrapers in Aba is beyond industry or commerce, it goes into humanity and land management. Southeast Nigeria is a place of limited land and a dense population. It is important to make judicious use of the available land.
Skyscrapers would be able to serve a higher number of people thereby enabling the city to have more inhabitants within less space. We hope that other safety measures will be considered and implemented by the government to mitigate potential challenges that may arise with such potential skyscraper clusters.
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