Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra and former Labour Party presidential candidate, has condemned the status of Nigeria’s healthcare system and called for an immediate shift in national planning and investment towards poverty reduction, education, and health.
Obi gave the keynote talk during an event hosted by the University of Nigeria Alumni and ANAP Doctors in North America at the Eko Hotel in Lagos. The topic of the event was “Beyond Borders – Uniting for Medical Excellence, Strengthening Our Alumni, and Inspiring the Next Generation.”
Obi emphasised in a statement released on Sunday through X that advancements in the Human growth Index (HDI), not advances in physical infrastructure, should be used to gauge actual growth.
“The most critical measures of development are not physical infrastructure, such as road construction or buildings, but health, which is measured by the Human Development Index.
“This is why we say, ‘Health is wealth,’ along with education and lifting people out of poverty,” he said.
He presented a dismal image of Nigeria’s healthcare system, pointing out that over 70% of its basic healthcare institutions are non-operational as a result of subpar infrastructure and a shortage of staff
“Currently, Nigeria has only about 10% of the doctor-to-population ratio recommended by global standards,” Obi said.
Comparing Nigeria to India, he noted that the South Asian country, despite having a population about seven times Nigeria’s, has achieved approximately 80 per cent of the recommended doctor-to-population ratio.
“India is also actively expanding its network of medical colleges,” he added.
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He also used South Africa as an example, pointing out that, despite having a population that is more than three times that of South Africa, the country’s 2024–2025 healthcare expenditure is more than twice as much as Nigeria’s 2021–2025 healthcare budget.
Obi opposed the usage of borrowed money, claiming that it hasn’t resulted in any discernible advancements in the industry.
“We have borrowed heavily to support our healthcare system, securing several billions of dollars from multilateral agencies. However, these investments have not resulted in significant improvements,” he said.
He revealed that Nigeria has borrowed more than $11 billion for medical education and healthcare from the World Bank alone since 2023, yet the industry is still in urgent need.
“Our budgeting and borrowed funds should be directed towards the critical needs of healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation,” Obi stressed.
He called for an urgent realignment of government expenditure.
“We must urgently realign our planning, budgeting, and expenditures to ensure that borrowed funds are channelled towards areas of critical need—such as healthcare, medical education, and access to quality care that will truly benefit the population and create a lasting, positive impact,” he said.
Obi commended the organisers of the event for their efforts in raising $1 million to support healthcare initiatives.
“My sincere gratitude to the university alumni for organising the effort to raise $1 million for this noble initiative,” he said, while also praising the alumni, professionals, and friends of UNCOMMA for their commitment and generosity.
