Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has blamed Nigeria’s slow development and rising poverty levels on decades of failed political leadership.
Speaking at Johns Hopkins University in the United States on Thursday, Obi pointed out that Nigeria now has more people living in poverty than China, Indonesia, and Vietnam combined. He made these remarks during a lecture titled “Politics and Change in Nigeria,” delivered at the invitation of Professor Peter Lewis, author of “Growing Apart: Comparing Indonesia and Nigeria.”
Sharing highlights of his lecture via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, Obi stressed the critical role of political leadership in shaping a nation’s destiny.
“The failure of a nation depends largely on its political leadership,” he said. “Competent, capable, and compassionate political leadership, with integrity, is key to achieving sustainable growth and development.”
Obi drew comparisons between Nigeria and three other developing countries—China, Indonesia, and Vietnam—tracking their progress over the past 35 years. While these nations have advanced to the high category in the Human Development Index (HDI), Nigeria has dropped into the low category.
“In 1990, when the HDI was first introduced, all four countries were in the medium category. Today, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam have moved up, while Nigeria has fallen,” he noted.
On the economic front, Obi revealed how Nigeria has lost ground over the decades. In 1990, Nigeria’s GDP per capita stood at $556—higher than China’s $317 and Vietnam’s $99. Today, Nigeria’s GDP per capita is just a fraction of theirs.
“Nigeria’s per capita income is now about one-fifth that of Indonesia’s ($5,000) and Vietnam’s ($4,400), and less than one-tenth of China’s ($13,000),” he said.
Obi also sounded the alarm on Nigeria’s worsening poverty situation.
“In 1990, China had about 750 million people living in poverty. Today, Nigeria has more poor people than China, Indonesia, and Vietnam combined,” he lamented.
He attributed the difference in development outcomes to leadership. According to Obi, these countries succeeded because they invested heavily in key areas like education, healthcare, and poverty reduction—driven by visionary and competent leadership.
“What sets these nations apart is leadership with character, capacity, and compassion—leaders who prioritize development policies,” he explained.
Despite the grim statistics, Obi expressed hope for the country’s future.
“A New Nigeria is POssible,” he affirmed.
