Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has sharply criticised the Tinubu administration’s recent decision to allocate ₦712.3 billion for the renovation of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, describing it as a grave misjudgment of national priorities.
In a statement released via his verified X account on Wednesday, Obi expressed dismay that such a large sum would be approved at a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with severe economic hardship and widespread food insecurity.
“It is profoundly troubling that at a time when millions of Nigerians are facing the crushing burden of hunger, the Federal Government has chosen to approve a staggering ₦712.3 billion, not to feed its people, not to lift them out of hardship, and not to invest in their well-being, but to renovate an airport,” Obi said. “This raises a fundamental and urgent question: Where are our national priorities?”
Referencing a recent United Nations report, the former Anambra State governor warned that approximately 34 million Nigerians are at risk of hunger this August. He emphasized that this crisis is not just a figure, but a lived reality for countless Nigerians who struggle daily to afford food.
“This speaks of real people, our parents, children, neighbours, and friends, who are going to bed hungry and waking up without hope of a meal,” he added.
The controversial ₦712.3 billion renovation was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as part of a broader strategy to modernise Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure and improve the passenger experience. However, Obi questioned the timing and necessity of the project, pointing out that Nigeria had already invested heavily in airport upgrades a decade ago.
“In 2013, Nigeria secured a $500 million loan from the China Exim Bank, alongside counterpart funding, to modernise five international airports—Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu,” he recalled. “Given that significant investment, what then justifies an even larger expenditure today for just one airport, especially when citizens are contending with hunger, displacement, and economic instability?”
Obi further cautioned against what he called “grandiose infrastructure projects” that fail to address the country’s most pressing development needs, including food security, healthcare, and education. He stressed that national development should begin with meeting the basic needs of the people.
“As a nation, our foremost duty is to ensure the well-being of our citizens, to feed them, care for their health, and provide security,” he stated. “While infrastructure is important, it cannot take precedence over urgent human development needs. A government that prioritises grand structures over its starving population is not building a nation, it is betraying one.”
