{"id":123251,"date":"2025-10-23T23:34:04","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T22:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=123251"},"modified":"2025-10-23T23:34:04","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T22:34:04","slug":"obi-decries-nigerias-absence-from-imfs-growth-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/obi-decries-nigerias-absence-from-imfs-growth-list\/","title":{"rendered":"Obi Decries Nigeria\u2019s Absence from IMF’s Growth List"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Lizzy Chirkpi<\/div>\n
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The Labour Party\u2019s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed disappointment over Nigeria\u2019s omission from the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) report highlighting Africa\u2019s fastest-growing economies, blaming the situation on poor leadership, corruption, and misplaced priorities.<\/div>\n
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In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Obi said he read the report \u201cwith keen interest\u201d and could not help but reflect on Nigeria\u2019s absence from the list of nations making remarkable economic progress on the continent.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI have read with keen interest the recent IMF report listing Africa\u2019s fastest-growing economies, and I cannot help but reflect on Nigeria\u2019s absence from that list,\u201d Obi wrote.<\/div>\n
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The IMF\u2019s latest Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, released last week, listed Benin Republic, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Uganda among the world\u2019s fastest-growing economies, attributing their progress to sound fiscal reforms and macroeconomic stability.<\/div>\n
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Obi, however, noted that these countries are not richer than Nigeria in natural resources, but have become stronger and wealthier because of their discipline, good governance, and dedication to human capital development.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThey are growing their economies through investing in critical areas of development education, healthcare and pulling people out of poverty, while ensuring fiscal prudence and stability,\u201d he said.<\/div>\n
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The former Anambra State governor lamented that Nigeria\u2019s economy continues to struggle under the burden of poor policy choices, corruption, and waste, warning that the nation must return to the basics by prioritising production over consumption and merit over patronage.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe must go back to where production triumphs over consumption, human capital over patronage, and governance over politics,\u201d he said.<\/div>\n
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Obi also stressed that compassionate and competent leadership is essential for Nigeria\u2019s revival, calling on leaders to rebuild a nation that values transparency, productivity, and shared prosperity.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWith the right leadership and collective will, Nigeria can once again become the pride of Africa. If smaller nations can grow their economy through discipline and commitment to clear policy direction, then the giant of Africa must awaken,\u201d he stated.<\/div>\n
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