Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has donated over ₦530 million to schools, hospitals, and community institutions across Nigeria since January 2025.
The donations, which span various parts of the country, reflect Obi’s consistent emphasis on improving education and healthcare, two sectors he has repeatedly described as “the foundation of national development.”
His interventions include direct support to nursing schools, university faculties, community hospitals and secondary schools, with a focus on underfunded institutions and rural communities.
In May, Obi presented ₦10 million each to the Anglican Comprehensive Secondary School and the Anglican Hospital in Kubwa, Abuja, to support the upgrade of science laboratories and essential medical services. The donation was received by officials of the Diocese of Abuja under the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
Earlier in July, he visited St. Philomena’s Hospital School of Nursing Sciences in Benin City, where he announced a ₦15 million donation.
During the visit, he reiterated his call for urgent investment in human capital development, warning that the global shortage of nurses projected by 2030 would affect Nigeria severely if not addressed.
He also made a ₦15 million donation to the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla in Enugu State, expressing concern over the country’s declining public health infrastructure and the urgent need to support health training institutions.
In his home state of Anambra, Obi gave ₦5 million to a hospital and nursing facility in Ogbaru to aid ongoing improvements in primary healthcare delivery. Earlier contributions included ₦50 million to Shanahan University and ₦10 million to a local school of nursing in Onitsha in December 2024.
According to civic trackers and social media reports, Obi has so far visited over 50 schools, hospitals and development centres in 2025 alone.
In addition to financial support, he has used the visits to advocate for a stronger policy focus on education and healthcare, urging government at all levels to prioritise public welfare over political theatrics.
Obi’s actions have sparked widespread reactions online, with many contrasting his philanthropic gestures to the luxury spending habits of Nigeria’s political elite.
One user on X noted, “While others are buying bulletproof SUVs and private jets, Peter Obi is empowering hospitals and students.”
Obi has not responded to critics who accuse him of playing to the gallery, but in a recent address, he said, “This is not about showmanship. It’s about doing what is right for our people. We must invest in health and education if we want a better Nigeria.”