Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the Federal Government over reports that it spent $9 million on foreign lobbyists, describing the move as a clear indication of Nigeria’s misplaced priorities amid worsening development outcomes.
Obi made his position known in a statement shared on his X account, formerly Twitter, on Friday, where he reacted to reports alleging that public funds were deployed for lobbying activities in Washington.
He argued that although the $9 million figure has attracted widespread attention, it represents only a small portion of the broader inefficiencies, waste, and misallocations that continue to hinder Nigeria’s progress across key social and economic indicators.
In his post, Obi lamented what he described as an entrenched culture of waste, corruption, propaganda, and poor prioritisation within government, warning that such practices have long-term consequences for national development.
He said, “It is both tragic and concerning that our leaders continue to prioritize waste, corruption, propaganda, lies, and negative aspects of development over positive initiatives.”
Reacting specifically to the reported lobbying expenditure, Obi stated that the spending mirrors Nigeria’s overall developmental decline and reflects governance decisions that have failed to convert public resources into meaningful improvements in the lives of citizens.
According to him, such expenditures symbolise a system that prioritises image management and external perception over tackling deep-rooted structural and socio-economic challenges at home.
Obi anchored his criticism on Nigeria’s long-standing performance on the Human Development Index, noting that the country has remained in the low HDI category for 35 consecutive years, from 1990 to 2025.
“In contrast, comparable nations within the same low category, such as China—where Nigeria had a three-fold higher per capita income in 1990—and Indonesia have advanced from low to medium, and now to high categories,” Obi stated.
He maintained that this divergence was not driven by chance, miracles, or superior natural resources, but by deliberate policy decisions, leadership discipline, and sustained prioritisation of human development.
Breaking down the implications of the reported $9 million spending, Obi focused on the three core components of the HDI: life expectancy, education, and per capita income, arguing that Nigeria is underperforming in all three areas.
To further illustrate his point, Obi cited allocations in the 2024 capital budget to six federal teaching hospitals, one from each of the country’s geopolitical zones.
The allocations include N2.67 billion for the University College Hospital, Ibadan; N2.46 billion for the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; and N2.8 billion for the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
Other allocations are N2.43 billion for the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City; N1.16 billion for the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin; and N2.37 billion for the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, bringing the total to about N13.9 billion.
“This situation is unacceptable. Every naira of taxpayers’ money should serve the Nigerian people,” Obi stated.
Reports indicate that the Federal Government is spending $750,000 monthly on a Republican-linked United States lobbying firm to counter claims of “Christian genocide” and address separatist narratives circulating among conservative and evangelical circles.
Nigeria has also increasingly relied on military support from the United States in its efforts to combat jihadist groups operating in the north and northwest regions of the country.
Against the backdrop of rising poverty levels, overstretched public services, and deteriorating social indicators, Obi’s comments have intensified public scrutiny of government spending decisions and their alignment with Nigeria’s development priorities.
