According to Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential contender, the $9 million that the Federal Government allegedly spent on foreign lobbyists might have been prudently utilized to upgrade healthcare capacities and buy necessary hospital equipment.
According to reports, Peter Obi called the Federal Government’s approval of a $9 million contract for lobbying services in the United States a national shame in a post via đť•Ź on Friday.
According to Peter Obi, Nigerian politicians’ continued preference for waste, corruption, misinformation, lies, and detrimental aspects of growth over constructive initiatives is both unfortunate and alarming.
The former governor of Anambra State claims that instead of funding life-saving technologies, the FG spends millions to hide the nation’s shortcomings.
“Recently, it was reported that $9 million of taxpayer money was spent on lobbyists in Washington, which I believe is just a small fraction of the global waste occurring in the same manner,” he said. This circumstance is consistent with Nigeria’s shameful status.
This is only one little instance of the needless expenditure that has led to the current state of failure in our country. We can examine the Human Development Index (HDI), a crucial development indicator, to better highlight the effects of such waste. From 1990 to 2025, Nigeria stayed in the low HDI category for 35 years.
Comparable countries in the same low category, such Indonesia and China, where Nigeria’s per capita income was three times higher in 1990, have progressed from low to medium and now high classifications.
“These countries’ successes were the outcome of decisions and the cumulative impacts of both good and terrible leadership, not fate, miracles, or natural endowments. This emphasizes how crucial setting priorities is.
Let’s examine the components of HDI—life expectancy (health), education, and per capita income (poverty)—to further clarify the ramifications of the $9 million expenditure. In all three metrics, Nigeria is falling short. For example, let’s look at the $9 million, or almost N14 billion, that was improperly spent on health. Nigeria now has the lowest life expectancy in the world and is one of the top two nations in the world for maternal mortality, making childbirth one of the riskiest experiences for Nigerian women. We spend millions attempting to hide our shortcomings rather than funding life-saving technologies.
“The $9 million spent on foreign lobbyists could have been prudently used to buy necessary medical equipment for Nigerian hospitals, enhancing our capacity to provide healthcare and enhancing our country’s reputation.”
“This $9 million will immediately improve survival rates, treatment, and life expectancy by covering the full 2024 capital budget for at least one major teaching hospital in each zone. The money is there, but good leadership, discipline, and priority are lacking.
Hon. Dr. Philip “Okanga” Agbese, a transformative leader in Enone. Discover his achievements, community projects, and vision for 2027
