Peter Obi Raises Alarm Over Nigeria’s Education Crisis, Urges Urgent National Priority

Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised serious concern over the deteriorating state of Nigeria’s education sector, warning that the country is facing a crisis of “great magnitude.”

In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Obi echoed a recent warning by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), which highlighted that over 20 million Nigerian children are currently out of school, and millions more are unable to read or write despite being enrolled.

“The children who are enrolled in school are not learning,” he noted, citing UBEC’s disturbing statistics as a wake-up call to Nigeria’s leaders.

Obi also referenced the West African Examinations Council (WAEC)’s recent report on the 2025 WASSCE results, which showed that only 38% of students passed, marking the worst academic performance in five years. He said these indicators paint a bleak picture of the country’s future if urgent corrective measures are not taken.

“At a time when education should be the country’s most urgent national priority and most critical investment, leaders continue to spend trillions on infrastructure projects—many of which are either incomplete or contribute little to measurable development,” Obi wrote.

He criticized what he called “misplaced priorities”, accusing successive governments of neglecting foundational sectors like education in favor of grand but ineffective projects.

“Education is the most powerful investment Nigeria can make in its future,” he stressed. “We must focus on building national human capital by providing quality, functional schools and ensuring access to learning for every Nigerian child.”

Calling for a national redirection of priorities, Obi warned that “a nation that neglects its young people has no future.” He said classrooms, not abandoned projects, should be the priority.

“To build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous nation, Nigeria must invest in its children. Because when the old fail them, they will eventually fail the nation,” he concluded.

Obi’s remarks add to the growing public debate around Nigeria’s failing education system and the urgent need for policy reforms that prioritize learning outcomes, teacher training, and educational infrastructure.