Peter Obi’s Alarm Over Nigeria’s Health Crisis

Health Crisis Alarms

A Nation on Life Support? Peter Obi’s Alarm Over Nigeria’s Health Crisis

Labour Party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised serious concerns about Nigeria’s global health rankings. The country now holds the lowest life expectancy globally (just 54.6 years) and the worst maternal mortality rate, with one maternal death every seven minutes. It's sparked intense debate about governance and healthcare investment.

In a searing indictment of Nigeria’s healthcare system, Labour Party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised the alarm over the country’s catastrophic global health rankings. According to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2025 Report, Nigeria now holds the lowest life expectancy on the planet, just 54.6 years. Even more harrowing, it has been ranked the most dangerous country in the world to give birth, with one maternal death occurring every seven minutes.

Obi, who shared his concerns via his official X account, described the situation as a “double tragedy,” emphasizing that these statistics are not just numbers, they reflect the daily suffering of ordinary Nigerians. “If you live in Nigeria, you are simply waiting to die,” the report bluntly stated, a line Obi echoed to underscore the gravity of the crisis.

He linked these grim realities to systemic governance failures, arguing that Nigeria’s health outcomes are worse than those of war-torn nations like Ukraine and South Sudan, despite the country not being in active conflict. For Obi, the issue is not lack of resources but misplaced priorities and chronic underinvestment in healthcare. He lamented that while billions are spent on infrastructure and political campaigns, hospitals remain under-equipped, understaffed, and inaccessible to the majority of citizens.

Healthcare professionals have backed Obi’s concerns. Dr. Ifeanyi Nwachukwu, a gynecologist in Enugu, posed a haunting question: “How did we become a country where it’s riskier to give birth than to go to war?” The sentiment has resonated widely, with Obi’s post garnering over a million views and sparking a wave of public outrage and despair.

Online, Nigerians have expressed frustration over the disconnect between political rhetoric and lived reality. “When you can’t even expect to live past 55 or give birth safely, what is the point of all the political campaigns?” asked Temi Adeyemi, a teacher in Lagos.

Obi’s call to action is clear: Nigeria must urgently invest in healthcare as a cornerstone of national development. Without it, the country risks not only economic stagnation but a continued erosion of its most fundamental asset, human life. As the debate intensifies, one thing is certain: the health of a nation cannot be ignored, and the time for reform is now.