Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised serious concerns regarding the state of education in Nigeria, following the release of official results of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
According to the data, a total of 1,955,069 candidates sat for the UTME, yet only approximately 420,000 managed to score above the critical 200-mark threshold. This means that over 78% of candidates did not meet the minimum requirement, underscoring the challenges plaguing Nigeria’s educational system.
Obi stated in a recent statement on his X account said, “This shocking statistic reflects the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system and highlights the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education.” He emphasised that education should be central to Nigeria’s national development strategy.
He further compared Nigeria’s university enrolment figures with those of other nations, noting that while Nigeria has around 2 million university students, a single university in Bangladesh boasts over 3.4 million students. “Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI),” he remarked.
Obi also pointed to Turkey’s impressive educational statistics, where over 7 million students are enrolled in universities, a figure that exceeds Nigeria’s total university enrolment by more than threefold.
“Education is not just a social service; it is a strategic investment,” Obi asserted. “It is the most critical driver of national development and the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty.”
He called for urgent action, stating, “We must now invest aggressively in education — at all levels — if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria.”
