As the world commemorates World Health Day, former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has delivered a scathing critique of Nigeria’s healthcare system, describing the country as a “disgraced nation” over its poor health sector performance and misplaced priorities.
In a strongly worded statement on Monday, Obi lamented that Nigeria, with a population exceeding 200 million, continues to struggle with one of the weakest healthcare systems globally. He noted that the country’s primary healthcare structure is “almost comatose,” highlighting alarming indicators such as infant mortality rates now worse than those of India, despite India’s larger population.
The former Anambra State governor further decried the country’s low health insurance coverage, which remains below five percent, describing the statistics as a “painful indictment” of national priorities.
Obi referenced recent disclosures by the Minister of Health, revealing that out of the ₦218 billion allocated for healthcare capital expenditure in the national budget, only about ₦36 million has been released so far. He described the figure as “deeply troubling” and indicative of systemic neglect.
In contrast, he pointed out that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has projected over ₦135 billion for legal expenditures related to elections, a development he said raises serious concerns about the country’s spending priorities.
“The amount earmarked for election-related litigation far exceeds what is being released for primary healthcare—the very foundation of a nation’s wellbeing,” Obi stated.
He stressed that Nigeria’s already overstretched health institutions, including University College Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, among others, remain underfunded and burdened by years of neglect.
According to Obi, “A nation that prepares more for electoral disputes than for the health of its citizens is a nation that has lost its way.”
He called for urgent reforms, urging the government to reorder its priorities by investing more in healthcare and education, which he described as the foundation of national development.
Obi concluded with a message of hope, insisting that a “new Nigeria is possible” if the country commits to building strong institutions and ensuring that public resources are directed toward the wellbeing of its citizens.
