Nigeria at 66: Peter Obi Laments Poverty, Insecurity, Says ‘Worst Place to Be Born’

Nigeria at 66: Peter Obi Laments Poverty, Insecurity, Says ‘Worst Place to Be Born’

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has described Nigeria as the “worst place to be born”, citing poverty, insecurity, hunger, unemployment, poor healthcare and the high number of out-of-school children.

Obi made the statement in his Independence Day address on Thursday as Nigeria marked its 66th anniversary, using the occasion to call for an honest assessment of the country’s condition and outline his proposed approach to addressing its challenges.

According to Obi, more than 140 million Nigerians are living in poverty and severe hardship, while more than 18 million children are out of school.

He also raised concerns over insecurity, including terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, saying such threats continue to endanger lives and livelihoods across the country.

On food insecurity, Obi claimed that more than 40 million Nigerians could face extreme hunger by the end of 2026.

He also cited what he described as high levels of youth unemployment and underemployment, putting the affected population at more than 35 million.

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Obi further drew attention to Nigeria’s infant and maternal mortality, drug and substance abuse and life expectancy, arguing that the figures reflected serious challenges in the country’s human development.

“Today, Nigeria is the worst place to be born,” Obi said while highlighting the conditions confronting Nigerian children and young people.

The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s difficulties could not be attributed to a lack of resources, describing the country as richly endowed with human and natural resources.

He argued that the central challenge was the failure to convert those resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity.

Obi said his assessment followed a two-day visit to Sokoto State, where he and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, held consultations on insecurity, poverty, out-of-school children, youth unemployment and drug abuse.

The delegation also visited an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at Ramin Kura in Sokoto metropolis, where Obi said thousands of women and children were living after being displaced from their communities.

He said many of the displaced children lacked access to education, while mothers and children faced limited access to basic healthcare.

Obi argued that Nigerians displaced by insecurity should be able to return safely to their communities, resume farming and businesses, and send their children to school.

He said that, if elected president, his administration would make security, education, healthcare and productive enterprise major priorities.

Obi also promised to make governance more measurable and accountable, with the welfare and productivity of citizens at the centre of government policy.

He said his administration would seek to move Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy to a productive economy capable of creating jobs, expanding agriculture and manufacturing, investing in human capital and improving opportunities for young people.

The NDC candidate also pledged to spend his presidential holidays within Nigeria if elected, saying he would use the periods to visit different states, interact with citizens and gain a closer understanding of their challenges.

His address came on the same day President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said Nigeria had moved beyond the most difficult phase of his administration’s economic reforms and was entering what he described as an era of shared and widespread prosperity. Tinubu said the government’s focus was now on lowering the cost of living, expanding production, creating jobs and improving opportunities.

Obi’s Independence Day message presented a contrasting assessment of Nigeria’s current condition, with the opposition candidate focusing on poverty, insecurity and social indicators while proposing a shift towards greater productivity, accountability and human development.

He ended his address by urging Nigerians not to lose hope, saying a new Nigeria was possible through accountable leadership, responsible citizenship and a stronger focus on the welfare of citizens.

Nigeria at 66: Peter Obi Laments Poverty, Insecurity, Says ‘Worst Place to Be Born’