The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has attributed the exclusion of Nigeria from the list of Africa’s fastest-growing economies by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to indiscipline and ineffective leadership.
In a statement on Thursday, Obi said the omission of Nigeria from the list should serve as a wake-up call for the country’s leaders.
On October 17, the IMF excluded Nigeria from the list of Africa’s fastest-growing economies.
The global financial body listed Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Uganda as the fastest-growing economies on the continent in its Regional Economic Outlook report for sub-Saharan Africa, launched in Washington, D.C.
The former Anambra State governor said the countries ranked by the IMF were not wealthier than Nigeria in natural resources but had surpassed it through discipline, effective leadership, and consistent investment in their people.
He said the countries have prioritised education, healthcare, and poverty reduction while maintaining fiscal prudence and stability.
“Our economy continues to suffer from poor policy choices, corruption, and waste,” Obi lamented.
