Nigeria has no excuse to be poor — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigeria has no justification to be poor, blaming persistent poverty partly on policies that encourage imports at the expense of local production, according to a report by Vanguard.

Speaking on C-Suite Cafe, hosted by Ikem Okuhu, Obasanjo argued Nigeria has the land, water, rainfall and human resources needed to meet its needs and create wealth. He recalled observing Guinea-Bissau’s reliance on imported food despite abundant agricultural resources during his tenure as African Union chairman.

Obasanjo also cited Nigeria’s 1979 rice import restrictions, which he said were reversed by successive administrations, undermining local farmers who could no longer sell their produce once importation resumed.