Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has said Africa has no excuse to remain poor despite its vast natural and human resources, blaming the continent’s struggles on poor leadership, corruption, weak institutions, and the high cost of governance.
Speaking at the Spier Dialogue Event on “Policies for Growth in Africa” in Cape Town, South Africa, Obi said Africa possesses enormous economic potential, including vast mineral deposits, over 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, and the youngest population globally.
According to him, these advantages should position the continent for rapid economic transformation rather than persistent poverty and underdevelopment.
Obi lamented that many African countries continue to battle low life expectancy, high infant mortality, unemployment, and worsening poverty, while small and medium-scale enterprises struggle to survive under harsh economic conditions, poor infrastructure, and inconsistent government policies.
He stressed that Africa’s future depends on shifting attention away from “endless politics and election cycles” toward productivity, development, and nation-building.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate also called for aggressive investment in key human development sectors such as education, healthcare, and poverty reduction, insisting that competent and compassionate leadership remains critical to the continent’s progress.
“What Africa needs is leadership that prioritises production over consumption and development over politics,” Obi said.
He added that strengthening institutions, reducing the cost of governance, fighting corruption, and creating a business-friendly environment would help build a more productive, secure, democratic, and prosperous Africa.
