Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has unveiled plans to establish two new universities as part of his administration’s broader strategy to transform the state into a center for knowledge, education, and global innovation.
Speaking Monday at the State House in Abuja during the launch of the Diaspora Bridge Platform, a digital initiative designed to connect Nigerian professionals abroad with local institutions, Mbah emphasized that the state is primed to lead in educational transformation and global academic partnerships.
“Enugu State is ready to host and lead diaspora collaborations,” Mbah said.
“In addition to expanding our seven public tertiary institutions, we are establishing two new universities soon, the Enugu State University of Education and Technology (ESUET) and the Enugu State University of Agriculture and Technology (ESUAT).”
The Diaspora Bridge Platform aims to mobilize the skills and expertise of Nigerians living abroad in support of Nigeria’s development goals in education, research, and the STEM-M fields — science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine.
Governor Mbah also highlighted the administration’s continuing investment in education, noting that over 33% of the state’s budget has consistently gone to the sector.
This includes the construction of 260 Smart Green Schools, set to open in September.
In addition to the new universities, Mbah announced that eight Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges will be established across the state—one in each federal constituency.
“Because innovation is the language of the 21st Century,” he said, “we are also establishing eight TVET colleges… to reform our pre-tertiary education system and leverage technologies like AI, simulation, and virtual/augmented reality to enhance applied learning.”
The state’s new Center for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI), he added, is central to a broader educational transformation, with a focus on practical skills development for science, technology, industry, and healthcare.
“When you think STEM-with-Double-M (STEMM), think of Enugu State, come to Enugu State, give Enugu State a chance,” Mbah urged.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Education for launching the Diaspora Bridge initiative, calling it a timely move to harness the untapped potential of Nigeria’s diaspora communities.
“Education is the single most important sector upon which our nation’s socio-economic fate depends,” Mbah stated.
He also pointed out that for too long, diaspora engagement has been viewed mainly through the lens of remittances, rather than their broader professional and developmental impact.
“Our various diaspora communities across the world represent Nigeria’s most critical human resource,” he said.
“Today, we take the important first step towards that goal under the banner of the Diaspora Bridge, convened by the visionary Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.”
