Roadmap to a New Nigeria That Is Possible – Part II
Education and Healthcare: The Foundation of a Renewed Nigeria
Recall that on July 1st, in Part 1 of "My Vision for a Productive and Prosperous Nigeria," I outlined the broad framework of my proposed roadmap for national renewal. In it, I emphasised that the transformation of Nigeria must begin with rebuilding our human capital through quality education and healthcare, supported by reforms in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), character and civic education, and strategic investments that will move our nation from a consumption-driven economy to a production-driven one. I promised to follow up with other parts in the coming weeks and months.
Today, July 16th, in the middle of July, I wish to expand on these two critical pillars - education and healthcare - because they are the bedrock upon which every prosperous nation is built. They are the cornerstones of the foundation that will ensure that a son of nobody can become somebody and remove many from the ranks of the disaffected who often become tools in the insecurity challenges confronting us.
Evidence from around the world shows that quality education and accessible healthcare are among the clearest distinctions between thriving nations and lagging ones. Princeton University Nobel Prize-winning economist Angus Deaton highlights this reality in his book, “The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality.”
Nothing, therefore, could be further from the truth than the claim by some young people that “education is a scam.” Education, when combined with good health, provides the ladder for individual upward mobility and drives economic growth for the nation.
We must become more intentional about aligning education with our national priorities, as Singapore did, and challenge our country to value education in the same way Deng Xiaoping repeatedly urged China to do from 1978 onwards, with the remarkable transformation we see today.
We will work through commissions that strengthen collaboration among the tiers of government, ensuring that primary education is domiciled at the community and local government levels, with strong parental involvement and curricula that are sensitive to local economic factor endowments and the value chains derived from them.
State governments will be supported to expand high-quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as well as general secondary education, through targeted grants and incentives.
We are also developing schemes that will enable universities to focus more deliberately on specialised areas of teaching and research, making them globally competitive while producing a workforce equipped for the demands of the future.
A NEW Nigeria is POssible. -PO
So bcos you support Peter Obi or kwankwaso on twitter, that means they must carry ticket and give you.
And when you don’t get it, Peter Obi becomes a bad person.
Go and join APC, and see whether you’d even smell ticket. You think Dayo, Dipo, Reno, et al, don’t have ambition?
Bashir Ahmad that was Buhari’s yansh cleaner, did not get ticket, even with Buhari in power.
Tinubu’s own ministers resigned, and did not get ticket in APC.
So what makes you feel you deserve ticket, simply because you’re an Obidient or kwankwasiya?
Power is not served à la carte.
Excessive Borrowing Without Accountability: Further Affirmation of Imprudent Governance.
President Bola Tinubu's administration has engaged in remarkably imprudent borrowing, escalating Nigeria's total debt to approximately N200 trillion. This represents an increase of over N100 trillion within a mere three years, a stark contrast to the roughly N49 trillion accumulated during President Muhammadu Buhari's eight-year tenure, which would have projected to around N80 trillion. As millions of Nigerians grapple with the shock of this unsustainable debt accumulation, the situation is exacerbated by the government's reckless approach to borrowing and a profound absence of accountability and transparency in the utilisation of these funds.
For instance, data from the Federation's Budget Office reveals that the Bola Tinubu government borrowed N11.89 trillion in the first three quarters of 2025 (January to September), exceeding the planned borrowing target of N10.34 trillion by approximately N1.54 trillion. Under a responsible and accountable government, such an overshoot would necessitate rigorous scrutiny and explanation from relevant governmental bodies. Regrettably, this is not the reality under the current administration.
Compounding this issue, only N3.10 trillion of the borrowed funds was allocated to capital expenditure during the same January-September 2025 period. This constitutes a mere 17.66% of the N17.58 trillion earmarked for capital projects, leaving a deficit of roughly N14.48 trillion, or 82.34% of planned capital expenditure unfunded.
The most disturbing aspect of the financial management fiasco under Bola Tinubu is that there is no explanation or information regarding how the balance was utilised or deployed. The question that Nigerians are rightly asking and deserve an answer to is what happened to the balance? Was it deployed for recurrent expenditure/ consumption, for the entertainment of guests to Aso Rock or transferred to the Renewed Hope Agenda 2027 Election Campaign Fund? Nigerians deserve an answer on how our economy and resources are most unpatriotically managed.
A New and Productive Nigeria is POssible, and Nigeria will be OK!
-PO
I just received the sad news of the train derailment along the Warri–Itakpe rail corridor in Delta State.
My heartfelt sympathy goes out to the families who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate mishap, and I pray for the quick recovery of those injured.
I urge the relevant authorities to investigate the immediate and remote causes of this derailment swiftly, ensure full accountability, and implement measures to restore public confidence in our rail systems. -PO
My dearest sister Ngozi @NOIweala ,
It is with profound sorrow that I received the sad news of the demise of Prince Ikechukwu Okonjo, your younger brother.
The loss of a younger sibling is an arduous and grievous experience. Please accept my sincerest sympathies, extended to you, the esteemed royal family of the Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, and all individuals who held Prince Ikechukwu in their affections.
May God Almighty who called him home grant him eternal rest in His kingdom, and grant your family the fortitude to bear his irreplaceable loss.
God Almighty bless your family always. -PO
Abayomi Arabambi : Peter Obi is fraudulent.
Rufai : You have a right to your opinion. Can you show me how many corruption cases against Obi at the EFCC?
Abayomi Arabambi : No no no, forget about that. Let me tell you something.
An old fool.
Yesterday, I was in Strasbourg, France, to attend sessions at the European Parliament.
While there, I spent the day holding a series of constructive meetings with several members from various committees, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, to the Members of the Africa-EU Delegation Committee, to the Committee on Transport and Tourism, and Development, amongst others.
I appealed to them to strengthen their relationship with Africa, especially Nigeria, which stands as a key frontier for global development. Africa, as I reiterated, is a continent of immense potential, the second-largest in size and population, richly endowed with natural resources, and powered by a vast, youthful demographic. Yet it remains the face of global poverty, largely because of bad leadership and entrenched corruption, a reality clearly reflected in Nigeria.
I urged them to support the development of Africa, particularly Nigeria, by advancing good governance. This includes supporting our democratic processes in ways that promote the emergence of competent leaders with the capacity and integrity to transform our nations.
I also highlighted how they can support us in addressing insecurity, improving power generation and distribution, strengthening education and healthcare, and lifting our people out of poverty. This is necessary because our success as a nation and the success of Africa have a direct benefit to Europe.
I also underscored the need to invest in and support Nigerian youths who have an immense desire and drive for entrepreneurship and productivity, if well supported, but are now facing despair due to limited opportunities.
Africa and indeed Nigeria can and must work for all and contribute to global developments.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Building a Healthier Nigeria Through Stronger Healthcare Systems
As part of our desire and commitment to building a healthier Nigeria, I met with some healthcare professionals and experts in the United States on Friday, June 5, 2026. The meeting was essentially to deepen my understanding of how successful health insurance systems deliver improved healthcare, especially in the areas of primary and emergency care.
One of our key health objectives remains unchanged: to expand health insurance coverage, strengthen primary healthcare across our electoral wards, train more healthcare workers, and make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.
A New Nigeria must be a healthier Nigeria.
A New Nigeria is possible. -PO
Guy, you fool no one. Play your role subtle role all you want. But don't be clever by half.
Seyi Makinde is eminently qualified, and nobody has attacked him. You created this scenario out of the figment of your imagination to play your role in the grand scheme of Tinubu's tribal politicking.
We know exactly what you are.
You fool no one.
State visits by Leaders are not tourism, and diplomacy is not a fashion parade. Every foreign trip undertaken by a government must deliver measurable benefits to the people, including investments, technology transfer, trade agreements, factory expansion, industrial partnerships, and job creation.
During President Trump’s recent visit to China, the American delegation reportedly included a few top government officials, and many of the biggest figures in global business and technology:
Consequently, huge trade deals worth several billion dollars including about 200 Boeing orders were achieved.
The list of the entourage included
1. Donald J. Trump – President of the United States
2. Marco Rubio – Secretary of State
3. Pete Hegseth – Secretary of Defence
4. Elon Musk – CEO, Tesla & SpaceX
5. Jensen Huang – CEO, Nvidia
6. Tim Cook – CEO, Apple
7. Larry Fink – CEO, BlackRock
8. Stephen Schwarzman – CEO, Blackstone
9. Kelly Ortberg – CEO, Boeing
10. Brian Sikes – CEO, Cargill
11. Jane Fraser – CEO, Citigroup
12. Larry Culp – CEO, General Electric
13. David Solomon – CEO, Goldman Sachs
14. Sanjay Mehrotra – CEO, Micron Technology
15.Cristiano Amon – CEO, Qualcomm
16. Dina P. McCormick – President of Meta
17. Ryan McInerney – CEO, Visa
18. Michael Miebach – President, Mastercard
19. Jim Anderson – CEO, Coherent
20. Jacob Thaysen – CEO, Illumina
That is how serious nations approach diplomacy, by aligning foreign policy with economic expansion, industrial growth, innovation, and national productivity.
I hope that lessons can be learned from these recent visits comparing them with the President of Nigeria’s recent state visit to the United Kingdom.
A large entourage of politicians, aides, and government officials travelled, yet Nigerians are still asking a simple question: what exactly did Nigeria bring home?
Which factories are coming to Nigeria?
What power, technology, manufacturing, agricultural, or industrial agreements were secured?
How many direct jobs will this visit create for Nigerian youths?
What investments were attracted?
What measurable economic outcomes can the ordinary Nigerian point to?
The delegation reportedly included:
1. President Bola Tinubu
2. Senator (Mrs) Tinubu
3.12 governors
4.9 ministers
5.7 members of the National Assembly
6. Over 20 senior State House staff
7. Over 30 security personnel
8. Over 10 domestic staff
9. Several supporters and associates
It is not enough to ride horses, wear matching uniforms, attend royal banquets, and release glossy photographs. Symbolism without substance cannot feed hungry citizens.
Today, Nigeria is in decline, battling serious insecurity, food insecurity, unemployment, a weakened naira, declining industrial productivity, and worsening poverty.
At a time when millions of Nigerians struggle daily to afford food and survive economic hardship, every kobo spent on foreign trips must produce tangible national value: investments, factories, jobs, exports, infrastructure, and economic opportunities.
Nigeria needs leadership that is focused less on optics and more on productivity; less on ceremony and more on measurable economic results.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Teargas in a Hospital, a Thoughtless Act.
I have just read the recent troubling reports of how the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allegedly stormed the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in a bid to arrest Professor Eyo Ekpe, a professor of cardiothoracic surgery and deputy chairman of the hospital’s medical advisory committee.
While I understand and respect the fact that the EFCC, and indeed, all other government agencies have their constitutional rights to do their jobs without interference, the manner in which some of these jobs are carried out is often deeply troubling.
Reportedly, the EFCC operatives who stormed the hospital shot some teargas canisters within the hospital premises which sent medical staff and patients running for safety. This thoughtless act greatly compromised the general safety in the hospital environment and further jeopardised the health of the medical personnel and the sick people in the hospital.
I have always said that the most fundamental intangible asset upon which any nation functions effectively is the rule of law and order. The disorderliness allegedly demonstrated by the EFCC operatives at the hospital must not be encouraged. Nothing justifies the use of teargas canisters in a fragile hospital environment. Do we not realise that our hospitals are part of our most critical contributors to development?
We must also learn to respect the lives and dignity of our citizens. If a Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery is arrested in such a demeaning manner in a hospital environment, what signals are we sending to other medical professionals working hard to keep our health sector afloat? It is reported that Nigeria has only 80 cardiothoracic surgeons serving its 230 million people, and the Prof Eyo Ekpe is the only one in Akwa Ibom State.
Let us learn to do better. Let us condemn and eschew the rascality and disorderliness that have continued to characterise some of our public offices and bring in civility in the discharge of our duties.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO