The Enugu State Government has unveiled plans to establish two new state-owned universities focused on education and agriculture, as part of a broader vision to position the state as a hub for knowledge, innovation, and diaspora engagement. Governor Peter Mbah disclosed this on Monday at the State House, Abuja, during the official launch of the Diaspora Bridge Platform, a federal initiative designed to connect Nigerian professionals in the diaspora with local institutions for collaboration in research, teaching, and innovation.
The proposed institutions, Enugu State University of Education and Technology (ESUET) and Enugu State University of Agriculture and Technology (ESUAT), will join Enugu’s expanding tertiary education ecosystem, which currently includes seven public institutions. These developments are underpinned by the Mbah administration’s ongoing investment in the education sector, to which over 33% of the state’s annual budget is allocated, significantly above national and global averages.
“Enugu State is ready to host and lead diaspora collaborations,” Governor Mbah said at the event. “Beyond strengthening existing tertiary institutions, we are launching two new universities. We are also establishing eight Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges one in each Federal Constituency to ensure that innovation becomes the language of 21st-century learning.”
Governor Mbah further highlighted the construction of 260 Smart Green Schools slated to begin operations in September as part of a foundational reform of basic and secondary education. He stated that the state is leveraging advanced educational technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Simulation, and Augmented Reality to promote applied, experiential learning across all education levels.
A centerpiece of this reform agenda is the Center for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI), which focuses on developing foundational, life, digital, and job-specific skills for science, technology, innovation, and medicine, fields collectively known under the state’s STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) initiative.
“We are making skill development the focus of our education transformation,” the governor said. “When you think STEMM, think Enugu State. Come to Enugu State. Give Enugu a chance.”
He commended the Federal Ministry of Education for initiating the *Diaspora Bridge Platform*, describing it as a transformative tool to align Nigeria’s global human capital with national development goals.
“For too long, the diaspora’s role has been seen primarily through the lens of remittances,” Mbah noted. “But we must go beyond financial flows to harness the deeper intellectual and institutional capital that Nigerians abroad represent.”
He praised Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa for convening the platform, calling it a “critical step” in reconnecting global expertise with domestic development imperatives.
Enugu’s bold expansion in education and innovation aligns with national efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and bolster human capital development across Nigeria. The state’s education drive also reflects global best practices in diaspora engagement, placing emphasis not just on remittance flows but also on long-term strategic partnerships for nation-building.
