Obi to North: Strategic Investment in Agriculture  and Education Will Unlock Potential

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has called for urgent and strategic investment in agriculture and education to unlock the vast economic potential of Northern Nigeria.

Speaking at the National Political Consultative Northern Group Meeting on Sunday, Obi passionately emphasized the North’s resilience and untapped opportunities, particularly in land, human capital, and agricultural productivity.

In a post on Monday, Obi compared the Northern region’s underutilized land mass to global agricultural powerhouses, highlighting stark disparities. “Bangladesh, with just 148,600 square kilometres, produces 50–60 million tonnes of rice annually.

Meanwhile, Niger and Borno States alone have nearly the same land size but produce barely 5% of that amount,” he said. He stressed that Nigeria could generate more revenue from agriculture than oil if the Northern land were effectively utilized.

The former Anambra State Governor also cited Taraba State as a sleeping giant in tea and coffee production, drawing a parallel with Sri Lanka, a country with a similar land area but earning up to $2 billion annually from tea exports.

“Taraba has more land space than Sri Lanka but is not even scratching the surface of its agricultural potential,” he stated.

On the human development front, Obi lamented the high number of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria, noting that most of the country’s over 20 million out-of-school children are from the region. He recounted personal visits to various northern states and interactions with Almajiri children.

“If they can memorize the Qur’an, they can learn English, Mathematics, and Science,” he said, advocating for mobile or community-based education systems.

Obi further criticized the government’s misallocation of resources, referencing the recently uncovered ₦7 trillion in the padded national budget.

“Imagine what that amount could do if redirected to education, agriculture, healthcare, and security,” he said. “Our leaders must have compassion and invest in humanity.”

He stressed that the North holds the key to transforming Nigeria, but only if its resources, both physical and human, are properly harnessed.

“With trust, unity, and a shared purpose, we can save this country and get a Nigeria that works for every citizen, where no one is left behind, no matter where they are.

A new Nigeria is possible,” he concluded.