Former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi has responded to ongoing public discussion about his personal wealth, stating he has never presented himself as poor and describing himself as financially “comfortable.”

In an interview video circulating online and seen by NEWSMAX on Tuesday, Obi said that by global standards having at least $1 million makes one a millionaire and affirmed that he meets that benchmark.

“I never said I am a poor man. I am a comfortable man. I own shares in different companies in Nigeria but I don’t have to flaunt it around. Those companies pay me dividends. If somebody comes tomorrow and says ‘he owns this’ it doesn’t matter, but I don’t need to show them…” he said.

Obi, a long-time businessman before entering politics, has often highlighted that his wealth was accrued through legitimate private sector ventures. He has served in leadership roles across industries including banking, trading, and consulting before his tenure as governor of Anambra State. Supporters and some profiles of his career note that his business background contributes to his financial standing.

Despite this clarification, Obi’s financial profile continues to spark debate in Nigeria. Critics have repeatedly questioned both his business success and his political positions, sometimes linking his wealth to broader controversies around politicians’ finances a common theme in Nigerian public discourse. There is no authoritative public record from major outlets confirming the exact value of his personal net worth or that he publicly declared an exact figure tied to the quoted comment at the time of reporting.

Observers say debates around Obi’s wealth reflect wider issues in Nigerian politics, where transparency about public figures’ finances remains a frequent point of contention. The former governorship candidate has also faced unrelated legal and political disputes, including a defamation suit filed in October 2025 in Nigeria’s Anambra State High Court, though that matter centers on social media commentary rather than his financial statements.

As of now, Obi continues to maintain his reputation as a businessman-turned-politician who emphasizes fiscal discipline and economic reform, even as details about his wealth are interpreted differently by supporters and critics alike.