Nigeria’s hunger, poverty crisis beyond statistics- Dr Peter Obi
In our country today, hunger and poverty are not just distant statistics; they are the harsh reality that millions of our people face daily.
Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has spotlighted the real and harrowing impact of hunger and poverty in Nigeria, warning that these are far more than mere statistics. Posting on his X handle on Monday, he cautioned that millions of Nigerians are grappling with acute food shortages and pervasive, multidimensional poverty. He cited United Nations projections estimating 34 million Nigerians facing food insecurity and about 63%—roughly 133 million people—living in multidimensional poverty.
He highlighted the devastating effect of economic mismanagement: “Inflation, even with the suppressed statistics, is nearly 30%, while unemployment and economic mismanagement have nearly wiped out our once vibrant middle class.” He accused current leadership of lacking both capacity and compassion.
Pointing to an international example of recovery, Obi referenced Argentina, which slashed its poverty rate from 52% to 38.1% within two years, cut extreme poverty to 8.2%, and brought monthly inflation down to approximately 2–3%. He urged Nigeria’s leaders to reject corruption, invest in human development, and place citizens’ welfare above all, declaring: “A New Nigeria is POssible.”-
