Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has criticised Nigeria’s spending priorities, describing the nation’s development challenges as a result of poor leadership choices rather than a lack of resources. Obi’s remarks follow reports that the Nigerian government spent about $9 million on foreign lobbyists in Washington.
In a statement personally signed by him, Obi said the expenditure highlighted a pattern of diverting public funds to manage international perception while domestic conditions continue to worsen. “This is just one example of wasteful spending contributing to our nation’s current challenges,” he said.
Obi compared Nigeria’s stagnation in the low Human Development Index (HDI) category for 35 years with the progress of comparable countries like China and Indonesia, which have advanced from low to high HDI categories. He stressed that these outcomes result from leadership choices, not luck or natural endowments.
Focusing on health, Obi warned that Nigeria now has the lowest life expectancy globally and ranks among the top two countries for maternal mortality. He noted that the $9 million could have been invested in essential hospital equipment, boosting healthcare delivery and improving the nation’s image. “The funds are available; what is lacking are prioritization, discipline, and effective leadership,” he said.
Obi urged the government to ensure taxpayers’ money serves citizens’ welfare rather than masking failures abroad. “We cannot continue to live in an illusion while our reality deteriorates. This constant prioritization of trivial matters must end,” he added.
