Umo Eno Promises ₦200,000 Annual Bursary for Students If Re-elected in 2027

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has promised to increase the annual bursary for students in public tertiary institutions from ₦50,000 to ₦200,000 if re-elected for a second term in 2027.

Eno announced the proposed increase during a fireside chat on the second day of the Ibom Ignite 2026 Conference at Ibom Hall in Uyo on Wednesday. He said the new bursary rate would take effect if he wins the February 2027 governorship election and is sworn in for another term on May 29, 2027.

The governor said the proposed increase was aimed at helping students from less privileged backgrounds meet their educational expenses, including tuition fees. He explained that his administration had already increased the bursary to ₦50,000 per student and intended to provide further support for young people.

“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.

Eno also pledged to sustain free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary school levels, presenting continued investment in education as part of his administration’s support for young people and families.

Addressing beneficiaries of the ₦50 million Ibom Ignite business grant, the governor urged them to invest the funds in their businesses rather than spend the money on personal enjoyment or unproductive ventures. He described the grant as seed capital intended to help recipients grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods.

“A seed not properly planted and tended was as good as dead,” Eno said, stressing the need for beneficiaries to use the money responsibly and productively.

The governor also said his administration had built more than 500 Compassionate Homes for less privileged residents across Akwa Ibom State’s 31 local government areas. He added that each beneficiary had received a ₦500,000 business grant to support their livelihood.

Eno promised to construct an additional 1,000 Compassionate Homes and provide accompanying business grants across the state’s wards if he secures re-election in 2027. The bursary increase and other commitments remain proposed measures tied to his return to office for a second term.