Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has called for a strategic shift in Nigeria’s development priorities, urging increased investment in women as a critical driver of economic growth and national progress.
In a statement titled “Channelling Our Women to Critical Areas of Development,” Obi expressed concern that Nigeria continues to lag behind countries that are making deliberate investments in human capital, particularly women.
He noted that although women constitute over half of the population, they remain largely underutilized in leadership, management, and key productive sectors.
Drawing comparisons with Scandinavian nations and emerging economies such as Indonesia and Bangladesh, Obi highlighted how empowering women has contributed significantly to economic growth.
He noted that women dominate small and medium-scale enterprises in Indonesia. At the same time, in Bangladesh, they constitute a substantial share of the garment industry workforce, one of the country’s leading revenue sources.
Obi criticized what he described as misplaced national priorities, arguing that the country has focused on less impactful initiatives rather than on policies that promote education, inclusion, and economic empowerment for women.
He called on policymakers to implement reforms that would integrate women more effectively into critical sectors of the economy, stressing that such measures would enhance productivity and place the country on a path of sustainable development.
Obi maintained that a renewed commitment to investing in people, especially women, remains essential to rebuilding the nation and restoring its global standing.
