Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has approved an additional N115 million monthly subvention for the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), raising the state government’s total monthly funding to the institution to N276 million.
The development was disclosed on Monday, August 17, 2026, by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who said the intervention was aimed at addressing concerns surrounding the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), ESUT chapter.
According to Onyia, the latest increase represents a cumulative rise of N140 million in the government’s monthly subvention to ESUT since February 2026.
“Governor Mbah has demonstrated once again that his administration places the welfare of workers and the uninterrupted education of our young people at the heart of its priorities. This additional N115 million monthly intervention is a substantial commitment of public resources aimed at strengthening ESUT and ensuring that the institution can meet its obligations to its staff and students,” Onyia said.
He explained that before February 2026, the state government provided N136 million monthly to ESUT.
However, from February, the government introduced an additional N25 million monthly intervention specifically for the ESUT College of Medicine (ESUCOM) to support the payment of 120 additional staff, bringing the total monthly government support to N161 million.
With the latest approval of N115 million, Onyia said the state’s total monthly subvention to ESUT would now rise to N276 million.
The SSG said the additional funding was also intended to support the university in meeting the salary agreement reached between ASUU and the Federal Government.
Against this backdrop, Onyia appealed to ASUU members at ESUT to suspend their industrial action and return to the classrooms while outstanding issues are resolved through dialogue.
“We appeal to ASUU-ESUT to reciprocate this gesture by resuming academic activities, while all outstanding issues are addressed through constructive dialogue. Our students should not be made to bear the consequences of disagreements that can be resolved amicably,” he said.
Onyia reaffirmed the Mbah administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers and the continued development of ESUT, saying the substantial increase in funding demonstrated the priority the government attaches to education and the uninterrupted academic calendar.
He urged the university management, ASUU and other stakeholders to embrace dialogue and work together towards resolving the outstanding issues, stressing that the central objective should be to ensure that students receive uninterrupted and quality education.
The SSG further assured the ESUT community that the Mbah administration would continue to support the university within available resources and take necessary measures to strengthen the institution and enable it to fulfil its mandate as a leading university of science and technology.
The latest intervention comes amid the ongoing industrial action by ASUU-ESUT, with the state government seeking an early resolution to the dispute and the resumption of academic activities.
