town, capital of Abia state, southern Nigeria. It lies along the railroad from Port Harcourt to Enugu. It is an agricultural market centre and (since 1916) collecting point on the railway for the crops of the surrounding region: yams, cassava (manioc), corn (maize), taro, citrus fruits, and palm oil and kernels. The town has a palm-oil-processing plant and several breweries, and the National Root Crops Research Institute, at Umudike, is adjacent to the town. Umuahia has teacher-training colleges, Trinity College (theological), and several hospitals. Pop. (2006) local government area, 359,230.