Smart Schools: Abia Govt Counters ₦7bn Claim, Says First Phase Nearing Completion
The Abia State Government has dismissed as “false, misleading and mischievous” media reports claiming that ₦7 billion has already been spent on the ongoing Smart Schools Project.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Sir Kenechukwu Nwosu, Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Basic and Secondary Education, the government described the allegations as the handiwork of detractors determined to discredit the administration’s landmark strides in education.
Governor Otti’s government is currently rolling out a massive education reform plan anchored on the establishment of 20 Green Smart Schools across the 17 Local Government Areas, with an additional three mega Smart Schools in each senatorial district. According to the government, these schools are designed to provide free, inclusive, and technology-driven education.
“The total cost of the Smart Schools Project is not up to ₦7 billion, and at no time has the government claimed otherwise. The reports being circulated are baseless,” the statement read.
The Smart Schools initiative, officials explained, goes beyond conventional classrooms, aiming to equip pupils with artificial intelligence, robotics, coding, and other 21st-century skills. Each school will run on renewable energy and feature smart boards, digital tablets, CCTV surveillance, and advanced learning systems.
On July 12, 2025, the state signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Blue Giraffe Development Limited to execute the project. The School Road Primary School in Umuahia was selected as the pilot Smart School, where phase one has already been completed with smart technology installed and power systems activated. Phase two—which will add more classrooms, perimeter fencing, landscaping, and drainage—is expected to begin once flooding challenges around the School Road gutter are resolved.
The facility’s capacity is projected to expand from 300 to 750 pupils, driven by increased enrollment following Governor Otti’s free basic education policy. It is among the first batch of nine schools slated for delivery in September 2025.
The state government also issued a stern warning to those spreading “deliberate falsehoods” about the project.
“Attempts to misinform the public and distract from the Governor’s transformational work in education will not be tolerated. The Smart Schools Project is ongoing, transparent, and properly accounted for at every stage,” Nwosu cautioned.
The administration said the Smart Schools Project represents a new dawn for public education in Abia, promising to transform schools into hubs of excellence where pupils will not only learn but also develop innovative skills to compete globally.
“The countdown to the commissioning of the first batch has already begun. Abia’s schools are bouncing back stronger, brighter, and better prepared for the future,” the statement concluded.
