The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has called for greater investment in women as a pathway to economic development in Nigeria.
Obi decried that while other nations are investing in critical areas such as human capital, Nigeria lags behind.
His remarks come on the heels of the alleged sexual assault of women at the Ozoro festival in Delta State.
“Instead of ensuring that our women — the vital segment of our population — are educated and meaningfully integrated into leadership and management structures, where they have consistently proven to contribute significantly to development, we fall short,” he said.
He referenced Scandinavian countries and other developing economies, noting that in Indonesia, women own over 50% of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which provide about 98% of jobs.
Obi also cited Bangladesh, disclosing that women make up about 60% of the workforce in the garment industry — the country’s largest export sector, generating about $50 billion, far exceeding Nigeria’s annual earnings from crude oil exports.
“Rather than emulating these nations by investing in our women — who constitute more than 50% of our population — and harnessing their productivity, our focus drifts toward trivialities such as the Ozoro festival, a development that reflects poorly on our national priorities,” he stated.
Obi described the situation as a profound misplacement of values, arguing that greater effort should be directed towards meaningful development, including policies and initiatives that empower women and integrate them into the economic mainstream.
He added that if Nigeria redirects its priorities by investing in its people and harnessing the potential of its women in critical sectors, the country can be rebuilt on a foundation of productivity and inclusion.
