Originally settled by the Ngwa Clan of the Igbo people, the current location of the city is based on land conceded to the British crown by the Eziukwu - Aba community. It eventually became an administrative center of Britain's colonial government. Aba has been a major commercial center since it became part of the old Eastern region. In 1901, the British founded a military post in Aba; in 1915, a railroad was constructed to link it to Port Harcourt, this transported agricultural goods such as palm oil and palm kernels. in 1929 Aba was the site of a revolt by Igbo women, historically known as "The Aba Women's Riot", a protest of the colonial taxation policy. During the height of Nigerian-Biafran War in 1967, the capital of Biafra was moved to Umuahia from Enugu.
The commercial nerve center of the Eastern Nigeria. The home of Ariaria market. The home of home made shoes, bags and other household items. The city that has one of the best football clubs in Nigeria, Enyimba Football Club of Aba.
Aba is surrounded by oil wells which separate it from the city of Port Harcourt, a distance of about 30 km; a 30 kilometer pipeline powers Aba with gas from the Imo River natural gas repository. Roads lead to Aba from Port Harcourt, Owerri, Umuahia, Ikot Ekpene, and Ikot Abasi
