Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has warned that Nigeria may continue to lag behind other developing nations if it fails to prioritise education and human capital development.
Obi made this known on Tuesday while delivering a lecture at Coal City University, Enugu, titled “Repositioning Nigeria’s Education Sector for National Growth and Global Competitiveness.” He commended the university’s management for fostering academic excellence and promoting meaningful national discourse.
Highlighting Nigeria’s development challenges, Obi pointed to the country’s low Human Development Index (HDI) score of 0.548, rising unemployment, and weak literacy levels as indicators of systemic underinvestment in education. According to him, Nigeria currently allocates less than 10 percent of its national budget to education—far below the global benchmark of 15 to 20 percent.
He noted that youth unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria exceed 30 percent, while life expectancy remains between 50 and 55 years. Literacy levels, he added, hover between 59 and 65 percent, underscoring what he described as “deep structural weaknesses” in the nation’s development framework.
Drawing comparisons, Obi cited countries such as Indonesia, Egypt, and South Africa, noting that their higher HDI scores—ranging from 0.72 to 0.75—reflect sustained investment in education, healthcare, and human capital development. He added that these nations also enjoy higher literacy rates, longer life expectancy, and stronger per capita incomes.
“The difference is not in talent, but in priority and policy consistency,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s education funding model, urging increased public-private partnerships and more inclusive policies. He also criticised the exclusion of private universities from intervention schemes such as TETFund, arguing that they play a critical role in building national capacity.
Obi stressed that education should not be seen as charity but as a strategic investment essential for national growth and global competitiveness.
“With sustained investment in education and deliberate focus on human capital development, a new Nigeria is not only possible—it is inevitable,” he stated.
