The scramble by 28,213 applicants for just 4,000 teaching positions advertised by the Abia State Government has renewed concerns over the worsening unemployment crisis in the state, lending credence to earlier warnings by Sir Mascot Uzor-Kalu, the 2027 governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The staggering figure was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, while briefing journalists in Umuahia after the State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
According to him, the recruitment exercise, which is the second phase of the teachers’ employment programme, opened on November 6, 2025, and closed on November 29, 2025.
“The window for verification of submissions closes this week. The applicants will be sent thereafter to sit for computer-based tests. Those who pass the tests will now go for the interview,” Kanu said, adding that the government plans to absorb 4,000 teachers from the exercise, in addition to the 5,394 employed last year.
However, the overwhelming response has exposed a deeper socio-economic challenge, as thousands of qualified applicants compete for limited public-sector opportunities.
Comrade Ukpai Nkama, an Abia-born political analyst, told MUK TV that the figures reflect a labour market under severe strain, particularly for young people.
This reality resonates with concerns raised by Kalu during a radio interview on Don 103.7 FM, Umuahia, on January 7, 2026, where he questioned the state’s approach to youth welfare and job creation despite rising budgets.
“Last year, we had a budget of about N900bn. This year, 2026, we have a budget of N1.1trn. And in those budgets , I don’t see anything that talks about the welfare and improvements of the youths.
“In 2023, the national unemployment rate was 32%. The Abia Stats unemployment rate was over 60%, which means 6 people out of 10 people you pass in Abia aren’t gainfully employed. The Governor had the statistics because I mentioned it during the 2023 campaigns and he also mentioned it.
“But what has been done in 3 years to encourage employment, to reduce the unemployment of the youths? Road construction, very important. Needed. But what about employment? What about making sure that businesses are coming in and gainfully employing our youths? Are they going to eat roads? They need food to survive.
“I’m asking the government to stand on the road and give people money, but there are things government does to encourage businesses. There are things the government does to encourage employment. There are things government does to attract businesses.”
Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics has continued to present an unsettling picture, with Abia frequently ranked among states with the highest unemployment and underemployment levels, particularly among youths.
The rush for teaching jobs, observers say, is less about passion for public service and more about desperation for stable income.
Beyond employment matters, the Commissioner for Information noted that the state government has inaugurated the Abia State Safe Schools Steering Committee to strengthen security around educational institutions.
He also highlighted ongoing digital reforms, including a centralised online recruitment platform, a Document Installation Bureau for land records, a revamped state government website, and the implementation of an e-Health Project in six pilot institutions.
Kanu further disclosed that work is progressing on the state’s smart school projects, with at least two schools expected to be commissioned by February.
Yet, for many residents, the teacher recruitment numbers have become a stark symbol of a broader economic crisis, reinforcing calls, like those made by Kalu, for a more deliberate focus on job creation, private-sector growth, and youth-centred economic policies in Abia State.
