Former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said that Nigeria’s deepening poverty crisis is largely the result of the government’s misplaced priorities.
Speaking during a public address at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, Obi criticized the current administration for neglecting critical areas such as education, healthcare, and agriculture, while diverting resources to less urgent infrastructure projects.
Obi specifically questioned the timing and focus of the Lagos-Calabar Highway project, arguing that the billions allocated to it could have been directed toward sectors that have a more immediate impact on the lives of ordinary Nigerians. According to him, initiatives that do not directly address the needs of the people only worsen the country’s socioeconomic problems.
He cited the country’s worsening economic indicators, noting that per capita income has continued to fall, and that over 130 million Nigerians now live in poverty. Obi attributed these conditions to poor governance, a lack of strategic planning, and mismanagement of national resources.
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The former governor also expressed concern over the rising number of Nigerians leaving the country in search of better living conditions abroad, which he described as a symptom of leadership failure and economic hardship.
Obi called for a fundamental shift in how national resources are allocated, urging the government to prioritize sectors that promote long-term development and directly improve citizens’ welfare. He stressed that sustainable economic growth can only be achieved by investing in education, healthcare, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
His comments have reignited debate around Nigeria’s development priorities and the need for a more people-centered approach to governance.
