Peter Obi, former Anambra governor, has called for increased investment in education, warning that Nigeria risks falling further behind without urgent reforms.
Obi made the call while delivering a lecture at Coal City University on repositioning Nigeria’s education sector for national growth and global competitiveness.
He argued that the country’s development challenges are closely tied to weak investment in human capital.
“No nation rises above the quality of its education system,” he said.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate linked Nigeria’s low human development index (HDI) score of 0.548 and high unemployment rate to what he described as chronic underfunding of education.
He noted that Nigeria allocates less than 10 percent of its budget to education, below the global benchmark of 15 to 20 percent.
He added that youth unemployment and underemployment exceed 30 percent, while literacy rates remain below average.
Obi compared Nigeria’s performance with countries like Indonesia, Egypt, and South Africa, noting that they have recorded stronger progress through sustained investment in education and healthcare.
“The difference is not in talent, but in priority and policy consistency,” he added.
The former governor called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s education funding model and stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors.
He also questioned the exclusion of private universities from intervention programmes such as TETFund, noting their role in national development.
“Education is not charity; it is the foundation of national growth,” he said.
Obi urged policymakers to prioritise education as a critical driver of economic growth and global competitiveness.
