Obi: Nigeria Not Poor, But Poorly Governed

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has said Nigeria has sufficient resources to provide basic necessities for its citizens.

He, however, pointed out that poor governance and misplaced priorities continue to undermine national development.

Obi made the remarks while narrating an encounter with a young Nigerian nurse who was born and trained in the United States but recently visited Nigeria for the first time.

In a statement posted on his X handle yesterday, the former Anambra State Governor said the tragic road accident involving international boxer, Anthony Joshua’s friends in Ogun State during the yuletide period highlighted the country’s weak emergency response system.

He noted that the victims could have been rushed to hospital immediately if functional ambulances were available.

According to Obi, a standard ambulance costs about N150 million (approximately $100,000), yet Nigeria spent N39 billion to refurbish the National Conference Centre in Abuja and N21 billion on the Vice President’s residence.

“Those two projects alone, N60 billion could have provided about 400 brand-new ambulances, roughly 11 per state, including the FCT,” he wrote.

“Had 11 functional ambulances existed in Ogun State, one might have been available for Joshua,” Obi added.

The former Anambra State Governor stressed that Nigeria’s problem was not a lack of funds but poor leadership and mismanagement of resources.

“The country is not poor, but it is poorly governed. Nigeria can afford basic necessities, especially critical and necessary ones, but they are often not considered priorities due to incompetent leadership,” he noted.

He further stated that building a primary healthcare centre in a community costs about N75 million, yet the country reportedly spent N300 billion (about $200 million) on an additional presidential jet.

“That amount could have built over 4,000 primary healthcare centres, about 110 per state,” Obi said.

He added that the only visible value of the jet was the ability of President Bola Tinubu “to occasionally disappear without the public knowing where he is.”

Obi also referenced the young nurse’s intention to organise a GoFundMe campaign to support healthcare in Nigeria, noting that the idea was discouraged by relatives who feared the funds could be misappropriated.

Despite this, he urged Nigerians not to lose hope, insisting that with responsible leadership, the country can meet the basic needs of its people.