Peter Obi Says Nigeria Has Resources to Prosper, Blames Mismanagement for Poverty
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Grace Chidimma Ibe
PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE — Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria possesses the human and natural resources needed to become a prosperous nation, blaming years of mismanagement and corruption for the poverty and hunger confronting citizens.
Obi stated this after participating as a guest and panellist at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The conference, themed “Beyond Limits ’26,” is holding from August 21 to 28, 2026, in Port Harcourt and has featured discussions on governance, democracy, politics, law and national development.
Speaking on the need to rebuild Nigeria, Obi said the country had sufficient resources to provide a better standard of living for its citizens if those resources were managed effectively.
He argued that Nigeria should not be associated with extreme poverty and hunger given its agricultural potential, vast natural resources and large pool of human capital.
According to him, agriculture should become a major driver of economic growth, particularly through investment, sound policies and political will.
Obi identified the vast agricultural land in Northern Nigeria as an important opportunity for transforming the country's food production sector. He said Nigeria could produce enough food for domestic consumption, create millions of jobs and develop an export-oriented agricultural economy.
He also revisited his position on the removal of the petrol subsidy, saying the subsidy regime had been affected by corruption and inefficiencies.
Obi said his preferred approach, which he said he advocated in 2023, was to first eliminate corruption within the subsidy system, determine the actual cost of the subsidy and subsequently implement a carefully planned and phased removal.
He maintained that any savings generated from subsidy reforms should be transparently invested in sectors capable of directly improving citizens' welfare.
He listed agriculture, healthcare, education, poverty reduction and security among the areas that should receive priority investment.
The former Anambra State governor argued that Nigerians should not be made to bear higher energy costs without seeing corresponding improvements in their living conditions.
He said government spending should instead focus on food security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, human capital development, national security and national unity.
Obi's comments came amid ongoing national discussions about the country's economic challenges, the cost of living and the impact of government policies on households and businesses.
The 66th NBA Annual General Conference has brought lawyers, policymakers, political actors and other stakeholders together in Port Harcourt for discussions on issues affecting Nigeria's governance and development. The official NBA programme lists governance, democracy, politics, elections and related national issues among the conference engagements.
Obi concluded that Nigeria's fundamental challenge was not a lack of resources but the quality of leadership responsible for managing them.
He called for competent, honest and purposeful leadership capable of placing the common good above personal interests.
“Nigeria has all it needs to prosper,” Obi said, expressing optimism that a better Nigeria remains achievable.
The Nigerian Bar Association's 66th Annual General Conference, tagged “Beyond Limits ’26,” is taking place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from August 21–28, 2026. The conference has provided a platform for discussions on law, democracy, governance, politics and national development.
