Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called on all levels of government in Nigeria to urgently redirect national focus toward critical areas of development, particularly health, education, and poverty alleviation.
Obi made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday via X, warning that the country’s worsening poverty levels were a result of years of misplaced priorities.
“In Nigeria today, the situation we find ourselves in calls for urgent and deliberate action,” he said. “It is time for all levels of government to prioritise critical areas of development—particularly investment in health, education, and poverty alleviation.”
Citing recent data from the World Bank, Obi said the poverty rate among rural Nigerians has now risen to over 75 per cent as of April 2025, while 41.3 per cent of Nigeria’s urban population also lives below the poverty line.
“This shows that poverty is no longer just a rural crisis—it has become a national emergency,” he stated.
According to the former governor of Anambra State, the current levels of poverty are significantly worse than in previous years.
“In comparison, the World Bank reported that in 2018/2019, about 30.9 per cent of Nigerians lived below the international extreme poverty line. As of 2025, that figure has more than doubled instead of improving,” he added.
He blamed the deterioration on what he described as misplaced government priorities over the years.
“These facts confirm that poverty in Nigeria has worsened significantly—and this is no coincidence,” he said. “It is the direct result of years of misplaced priorities. Rather than investing in critical sectors, we have continued to prioritise wasteful spending on non-developmental projects such as conference centres, government houses and lodges, guest houses, and fleets of official vehicles.”
Obi emphasised the need to shift attention to human capital development as the foundation for national transformation.
“We must reassess what truly matters. The decisions we make—what we build, fund, and focus on—must align with the pressing needs of the people,” he said.
He added that Nigeria’s path to development lies in expanding access to quality education and healthcare and in supporting job creation through Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.
“Nigeria must expand access to quality education and healthcare and support job creation by investing in and empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, which are essential for lifting people out of poverty,” Obi stated.
The Punch
