Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that Nigeria’s reported revenue growth translates into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens.
Reacting to the President’s announcement that the nation’s annual revenue target had already been achieved by August, Obi congratulated him but stressed that Nigerians are yet to feel the benefits of the supposed economic gains.
“Congratulations, Mr. President. But Mr. President, if indeed the economy stabilises as you declared, then Nigerians must feel it in their daily lives,” Obi said. “Borrowings must stop now. Huge contractors’ bills, which are still owed, should be paid, and critical underfunded projects must now be funded.”
The former Anambra State governor expressed concern that the revenue figures, while encouraging, have not been reflected in key sectors such as education and healthcare, which he described as being in “terrible condition.”
“True economic stability is not in figures announced at press conferences, but in classrooms where children learn, in well-equipped labs and access to learning tools, in hospitals where citizens can receive quality care, equipped with adequate facilities,” Obi noted.
He urged the federal government to use the next four months to prioritise the deployment of excess revenue into essential areas.
“For the next four months, every value of our excess revenue should be deliberately channelled into the critical areas of development: health, education, and pulling people out of poverty,” he said.
“This must be done transparently, with verifiable and measurable outcomes. Anything less will mean that revenue growth has not translated into national growth. Nigerians deserve to see the impacts of this touted revenue growth.”
Obi’s remarks come amid ongoing debates about government spending, public debt, and the state of basic social infrastructure across the country.
