The Enugu Smart Green Schools Program, initiated by the Peter Mbah administration, officially commenced today, amid speculation about unfinished projects and failed contracts.
The 22nd of September 2025 marked the commencement of the educational program aimed at building one smart green school in the 260 political wards in Enugu State. The Project is a major capital infrastructure project by the Mbah adminstration and has been a subject of controversy and speculation.
In a broadcast announcing the commencement of the program, Governor Peter Mbah stated that the pivot from old school structures and learning by memorisation to a technology-charged world-class infrastructure and experiential learning was necessary to upskill Enugu students and prepare them for competition in the global economy.
He also stressed the importance of focusing on the youth, as Africa is a relatively young continent, and one in every three young people in the world would be an African when the continent’s population hits 2.5 billion.
“This is not just a statistic; it is a summons. It means that the destiny of African nations rests on what we nurture in the minds and hearts of our children,” Mbah stated.
Speaking on the legacy of the projects, Mbah added that the Smart Green School initiative represents the most personal and transformative project of his administration. He described the project as significant and his covenant with the average Enugu child.
Speculations and Controversy
Despite the commencement of the smart green school initiative, the project has been hampered by various controversies and speculation, ranging from failed contracts to accusations of shoddy structures being erected.
Last month, the Enugu government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), issued a public announcement on Sijibomi Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction, over an N11 billion contract scam.
Other speculations arose from viral videos of poorly constructed structures of the new smart schools, raising questions about the quality of the work being done. As students resume school today, the nation watches out for firsthand feedback from parents and guardians on the quality of the new Smart Green Schools.
