Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has called for urgent action in response to the deepening poverty crisis in the country.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Obi urged all levels of government to urgently prioritise investment in health, education, and poverty alleviation, warning that the country is facing a national emergency.
Citing a recent World Bank report published in April 2025, Obi highlighted alarming statistics which showed that over 75 per cent of Nigerians living in rural areas now fall below the poverty line, while 41.3% of urban residents are also affected.
“This shows that poverty is no longer just a rural crisis—it has become a national emergency,” Obi said.
Comparing these figures to past data, the statement noted that in 2018/2019, only 30.9 per cent of Nigerians lived below the international extreme poverty line.
“As of 2025, that figure has more than doubled instead of improving. These facts confirm that poverty in Nigeria has worsened significantly—and this is no coincidence,” he stated.
Obi attributed the growing economic hardship to years of misplaced priorities by successive governments, citing continued expenditure on non-developmental projects such as luxury government buildings, fleets of official vehicles, and conference centres. “Instead of investing in human capital, education, and healthcare—true legacy projects that can transform a nation—we have wasted resources,” he said.
He called for a fundamental shift in national priorities, emphasising the need to expand access to quality education and healthcare and support job creation through investment in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). “These sectors are essential for lifting people out of poverty,” he added.