Peter Obi Sounds Alarm on Nigeria’s Worsening Education Crisis Calls for Urgent Reforms

Former Governor Peter Obi has raised a serious alarm over the worsening state of Nigeria’s education sector describing it as a crisis of immense magnitude that demands urgent national attention.

Obi highlighted recent data revealing that over 20 million Nigerian children are out of school and that many enrolled students remain functionally illiterate.

He pointed to the latest West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results with only 38 percent of students passing—the worst in five years.

In a statement shared on his official social media handle, Obi condemned the neglect of educational infrastructure stating that Nigerian children deserve functional classrooms rather than neglected or abandoned projects.

He criticized government priorities noting that while trillions of naira are spent on infrastructural projects with little measurable impact foundational sectors like education continue to suffer.

Obi called on federal, state, and local governments to urgently redirect resources toward rehabilitating schools, training teachers, and improving curricula.

He emphasized that education is the most powerful investment for Nigeria’s future and warned that neglecting young people imperils the nation’s development.

He also criticized the politicization of educational appointments and contracts urging that education be managed by committed and professional leaders to achieve real results.

Obi’s call has reignited national discourse on education reform with stakeholders urging a united and strategic response to the deepening crisis in Nigeria’s educational system.