Former Labour Party Peter Obi has said that Nigeria’s low life expectancy is a direct consequence of leadership failures, arguing that governance shortcomings are responsible for the country’s declining health sector.
Speaking at the 2025 Leadership Forum Conference at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Obi said Nigeria’s average life expectancy, currently placed at about 55 years by recent global estimates, reflects systemic neglect of healthcare, education and human capital development.
According to him, the country’s performance in health and welfare remains the weakest among nations with similar resources.
“Our low life expectancy is not because Nigerians are naturally predisposed to early death. It is because we have not built the systems that keep people alive,” he said.
Obi said life expectancy data should prompt urgent reforms, noting that countries with comparable demographic pressures, including India and Indonesia, have recorded steady improvements by investing in basic healthcare and education.
He said Nigeria had the potential to outperform many emerging economies but had failed due to repeated policy reversals and weak institutions.
He also linked health outcomes to broader insecurity, saying displacement, food shortages and limited access to care in rural areas have contributed to preventable deaths.
Obi also highlighted youth development as a priority. He said addressing addiction, unemployment and poor educational access would strengthen long-term national stability.
Earlier, he visited the Redeemer’s Drug Rehabilitation Initiative in Enugu, where he spoke on the impact of substance abuse on communities.
Obi made similar statements in recent engagements, the Guardian reported that he was at the Enugu Diocesan Synod earlier in the week, where he urged faith-based organisations to expand community support programmes, saying the country’s health and education gaps required combined efforts from government and civil society.
In Umuahia on November 20, he told the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools that Nigeria’s declining human development indicators were tied to chronic underfunding and a lack of coherent long-term planning.
Obi has also drawn attention in recent days for his reaction to the conviction of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu.
He condemned the court pronouncements warning that it could worsen tensions in the southeast and urged the Federal Government to adopt dialogue to avoid further destabilisation.
He said political engagement and institutional reforms remained more effective than coercion in resolving national grievances.
Obi said Nigeria’s future depended on leadership that prioritised competence and accountability.
“We cannot achieve progress when basic indicators of life and wellbeing remain this low,” he said. “A new Nigeria is possible, but it will only emerge when leaders commit to investing in people,” he said.
