The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised Nigeria’s development priorities, urging leaders to channel more resources into empowering women as a driver of economic growth.

In a post shared on his official X account on Saturday, Obi lamented that while many nations are investing in human capital development, Nigeria continues to lag behind.

He stressed that women, who make up over half of the population, remain underutilised despite their proven contributions to leadership and economic development globally.

Citing examples, Obi noted that in Indonesia, women own over 50 per cent of small and medium-scale enterprises, which account for about 98 per cent of jobs. He also referenced Bangladesh, where women dominate the garment industry workforce, contributing significantly to the country’s export earnings.

Obi, however, expressed concern over what he described as misplaced national priorities, making reference to the Ozoro raping festival controversy.

“Rather than emulating these nations by investing in our women… our focus drifts toward trivialities such as the Ozoro festival,” he said, describing the trend as “a profound misplacement of values.”

He called for deliberate policies that will integrate women into the economic mainstream and position them in leadership and management roles.

According to him, “If we redirect our priorities, invest in our people, and harness the potential of our women in critical sectors, we can rebuild our nation on a foundation of productivity and inclusion.”