Akwa Ibom @39: Changing the landscape beyond anniversary

Just recently, Akwa Ibom clocked 39 years old since creation. DENNIS UDOMA reports on the states trajectory so far.

Thirty-nine years after its creation, Akwa Ibom state is steadily moving beyond the dreams of its founding fathers, with a new phase of development driven by infrastructure, human capital investment, social intervention, agricultural expansion and efforts to diversify the state’s economy through developing it’s tourism potential.

Created on September 23, 1987, from the former Cross River state, Akwa Ibom emerged from decades of agitation for political and administrative autonomy.

The creation was therefore not merely an exercise in drawing new boundaries; it was the fulfilment of a long-held aspiration by a people who wanted greater control over their political and economic destiny.

Thirty-nine years later, the question confronting the state is no longer simply whether the dream of statehood has survived, but how far that dream has translated into improved living conditions, economic opportunities and sustainable development for its people.

For Governor Umo Eno, whose administration is approaching the end of its first tenure, the answer lies in what he describes as the ARISE Agenda: a development blueprint built around Agricultural Revolution, Rural Development, Infrastructural Maintenance and Advancement, Security Management and Educational and Health Sector development.

This year’s anniversary which was celebrated a few weeks ago, had provided an opportunity to examine the journey so far, the progress recorded under the present administration and the work still required to transform Akwa Ibom from an infrastructure-focused state into a diversified and productive economy.

From state creation to development

Akwa Ibom’s journey has been one of gradual institutional and physical transformation.

At creation, the state inherited the challenges common to newly-created states with limited infrastructure, inadequate administrative structures, weak economic capacity and the need to establish institutions capable of managing its affairs.

Over the decades, successive administrations laid different layers of the foundation. Roads were constructed, schools and hospitals expanded, public institutions established and Uyo gradually evolved from a relatively rusty township with modest administrative centre into a rapidly developing state capital

The emergence of Governor Eno in 2023 introduced another development philosophy, anchored on continuity while placing greater premium on rural inclusion, human welfare and economic expansion.

Indeed, one of the defining features of the administration has been its attempt to take development beyond the major urban centres.

As Eno stated in his 39th anniversary broadcast, since May 29, 2023, his administration had undertaken, commissioned or continued work on more than 1,500 kilometres of roads and 43 bridges across the state.

The significance of such investments goes beyond the roads themselves.

In an agrarian state, roads determine how easily farmers move produce to markets. They influence access to schools, hospitals and government services, while also reducing the isolation of rural communities. This explains the administration’s emphasis on rural roads and connectivity as part of its broader ARISE strategy.

Changing the landscape

Across the three senatorial districts, road construction has become one of the most visible elements of Governor Eno’s administration. From urban roads to rural and inter-community routes, the government’s infrastructure programme has sought to improve connectivity and open up areas previously constrained by poor access.

In April 2026, the State Executive Council approved 39 projects, including 27 road projects covering more than 167 kilometres.

The administration has also commissioned projects as part of the 39th anniversary activities, including roads, schools and healthcare facilities.

This approach reflects a broader understanding of infrastructure not merely as physical structures, but as an economic enabler.

For instance, a good rural road can reduce the cost of transporting farm produce, improve access to markets and make previously inaccessible communities more attractive to investors.

Yet, the sustainability of this infrastructure drive depends on maintenance. For a state seeking long-term development, constructing roads is only one part of the equation; preserving them and ensuring value for money would equally be important.

Perhaps nowhere is the administration’s human-centred approach more visible than in education. Akwa Ibom has retained free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary school levels while expanding support for students in tertiary institutions.

According to the governor’s anniversary broadcast, N1.69 billion had been disbursed as bursaries, while 3,000 teachers had been recruited, with additional recruitment approved. The administration has also constructed modern model primary schools equipped with contemporary learning facilities.

The transformation of the Akwa Ibom College of Education, Afaha Nsit, into a University of Education with the former deputy chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof Philip Afaha as vice – chancellor is another major component of the education programme.

This is important because the long-term prosperity of Akwa Ibom cannot depend indefinitely on public-sector employment or oil revenues. A skilled population is essential to the state’s ambition to attract investment, develop industries, expand technology and build an economy capable of creating jobs.

The challenge, however, is to ensure that investment in education translates into employable skills, entrepreneurship and opportunities for young people after graduation.

Healthcare has also received considerable attention, as the administration says it has expanded primary healthcare interventions, strengthened human resources and advanced the development of the Ibom International Hospital.

As of the governor’s anniversary address, about 258,000 people, including elderly citizens, were enrolled in the state-run health insurance scheme, while every local government area had an ambulance service for emergency situations.

The development of the health sector is particularly significant in rural communities where distance and cost have traditionally affected access to quality healthcare.

The administration’s model primary healthcare centres are therefore intended to bring basic medical services closer to the people.

The larger ambition is reflected in the ongoing development of the Ibom International Hospital and the broader Medical City concept, which could position the state as a healthcare destination if completed, properly equipped and professionally managed.

Agriculture: From subsistence to enterprise

For an economy that still possesses significant agricultural potential, agriculture remains one of the most important tests of the ARISE Agenda. The administration has promoted agricultural grants, equipment support, farm inputs, model farms and the Palm Tree Crop Revolution.

The governor reported that 1,700 farmers had received grants, while the government had also approved the acquisition of hundreds of thousands of oil-palm seedlings.

Earlier in the year, the government also highlighted the impact of a N2 billion agricultural grant, agricultural equipment leasing and farm inputs on farmers across the state.

The ultimate test, however, would not be the number of grants distributed or seedlings acquired, but whether Akwa Ibom can develop functioning agricultural value chains from production to processing, packaging, marketing and export.

That is where agriculture can move from a livelihood activity to a genuine economic sector capable of creating large-scale employment and reducing dependence on imported food.

The road ahead

Yet, at 39, Akwa Ibom cannot afford to measure progress only by the number of projects completed. The more difficult task ahead is the economic transformation.

Governor Eno himself acknowledged this in his anniversary message, declaring that the next chapter of his administration must move the state from infrastructure to industrialisation, from agriculture to agro-industrialisation, from skills to enterprise and from investment attraction to investment-driven prosperity.

That transition would determine the real legacy of the current development cycle, as Akwa Ibom possesses oil and gas resources, a long coastline, agricultural land, tourism assets, an airport, Ibom Air, expanding road infrastructure and a growing pool of educated young people.

Beyond the 39th anniversary

The 39th anniversary is therefore both a celebration and a reminder. It is a celebration of a state born from the determination of its people and sustained through the efforts of successive administrations, institutions, traditional rulers, workers, farmers, professionals, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens.

But it is also a reminder that development is a continuing process.

The ARISE agenda has produced visible interventions across roads, education, healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment and social welfare. The administration’s own figures point to an expanding footprint of government projects and programmes across the state. The next test is whether these investments can be converted into enduring prosperity.

The measure of the next decade would be whether a child born in Akwa Ibom can obtain quality education, acquire relevant skills, secure productive employment or build a viable business without having to leave the state; whether a farmer can produce, process and profit from his harvest; whether industries can operate competitively and whether rural communities can enjoy the same opportunities as urban centres. That is the deeper meaning of ARISE. It is not simply a government slogan or an inventory of projects.

Its ultimate value would be determined by whether the foundations being laid today create a state where prosperity is broader, opportunities are more accessible and development is sustainable.

Therefore, as Akwa Ibom looks beyond its 39th year, the aspiration is no longer merely to build a beautiful state. It is to build a productive one, and that perhaps is the real test of progress under Governor Eno’s ‘ARISE’ agenda.