For a Banach algebra 𝒜 and a character ϕ on 𝒜, we introduce and study the notion of essential ϕ-amenability of 𝒜. We give some examples to show that the class of essentially ϕ-amenable Banach algebras is larger than that of ϕ-amenable Banach algebras introduced by Kaniuth et al. [‘On ϕ-amenability of Banach algebras’, Math. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc.144 (2008), 85–96]. Finally, we characterize the essential ϕ-amenability of various Banach algebras related to locally compact groups.