Mimiko Calls for Urgent Action on Nigeria’s Rising Illiteracy, Maternal Mortality

Mimiko Calls for Urgent Action on Nigeria’s Rising Illiteracy, Maternal Mortality

Former Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has urged the Nigerian government to significantly increase investment in the health and education sectors, warning that without urgent action, Nigeria will continue to lag behind in global development.

Speaking on Friday during the maiden convocation lecture of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, titled “Ill-Health and Illiteracy, Siblings’ Alliance Against Development,” Mimiko said Nigeria’s underdevelopment is directly tied to inadequate funding of its two most critical sectors.

Backing his argument with data, he noted that despite Nigeria having less than 3% of the world’s population, it accounts for 29% of global maternal deaths, with one woman dying every seven minutes. He described the country as “the most dangerous place in the world to give birth.”

On education, Mimiko cited UNESCO statistics indicating that Nigeria is one of only 10 countries that account for over half of the world’s illiterate adults—an alarming 43 million people. He added that UNICEF data shows that one in three Nigerian children is out of school, totaling 18.3 million, a figure higher than the populations of 160 countries.

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Mimiko warned humorously—but pointedly—that if the nation continues to neglect health and education, it may have to rely on “herb makers and native doctors” in the next decade due to mass emigration of skilled professionals.

He expressed concern over poor remuneration in the tertiary education sector, describing it as “fundamentally wrong” for a Nigerian professor with over 20 years of experience to earn less than ₦500,000 monthly. He stressed that improved funding and fair wages are crucial to addressing the JAPA brain-drain crisis.

The former governor urged federal and state governments to be intentional about prioritizing both sectors. He commended existing education initiatives such as NELFUND and digital literacy programs but called for their expansion.

Mimiko also recommended a revamped school feeding programme, suggesting a minimum standard of “one egg, one child, one day” to improve nutrition and boost the livestock industry. He advised that implementation should be driven by state governments, with the Federal Government acting as regulator and monitor.

He warned that underfunding health and education will lead to weak human capital, low productivity, rising poverty, and widening inequality. Conversely, he said socio-economic underdevelopment will continue to limit government revenue, trapping the nation in a cycle of poor investment.

Mimiko concluded by stressing the importance of childhood nutrition, urging both federal and sub-national governments to prioritise policies that support children’s health, learning, and long-term national development.

Mimiko Calls for Urgent Action on Nigeria’s Rising Illiteracy, Maternal Mortality