Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has pledged to raise the annual bursary for students in public tertiary institutions from N50,000 to N200,000 if he secures re-election in 2027.
Eno made the promise on Wednesday during a fireside chat on the second day of the Ibom Ignite 2026 Conference at Ibom Hall in Uyo.
He explained that the proposed increase would take effect after his re-election in the February 2027 governorship poll and his inauguration for a second term on May 29, 2027.
According to the governor, the initiative aims to ease the financial burden on students from disadvantaged backgrounds and help them cover their educational expenses.
“We started by paying bursary, we moved it, it’s now 50,000 for every student. But again, to show you that we’re engaging, we’re thinking about young people from 2027, as we come back May 29, 2027, to make sure that our young people who come from the kind of background I came from can at least pay their tuition, bursary will move to 200,000,” he said.
The governor also promised to maintain free and compulsory education in public primary and secondary schools across the state.
Eno further advised beneficiaries of the N50 million Ibom Ignite business grant to channel the funds into productive ventures rather than personal enjoyment or other unprofitable activities.
He described the grant as seed capital intended to promote business growth and improve the beneficiaries’ livelihoods, stressing the importance of responsible financial management.
“A seed not properly planted and tended was as good as dead,” Eno said.
On his administration’s efforts to support vulnerable residents, the governor disclosed that more than 500 Compassionate Homes had been constructed for less privileged people across Akwa Ibom’s 31 local government areas.
He added that each beneficiary had also received a N500,000 business grant to support their livelihood and promote financial independence.
Eno pledged to construct another 1,000 Compassionate Homes and distribute corresponding business grants across the state’s wards if re-elected in 2027.
