Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has criticized the shortage of universities in Nigeria and the dangers students face during the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations.
Posting on his verified X handle on Sunday, Obi shared his concern about teenagers aged 15 to 17 being scheduled for exams as early as 6:30 a.m. He pointed out that many students must travel long distances in the dark through insecure areas, exposing them to serious risks while simply trying to pursue an education.
He described the situation as reckless, warning that reports of accidents, missing students, and trauma are already coming in. Obi asked who would take responsibility if a 15- or 16-year-old child were to go missing or get hurt while trying to sit for an exam.
He linked the problem to a bigger issue: Nigeria’s lack of universities and examination centers. Obi explained that Nigeria, with over 200 million people, has only about 200 universities. This means there is just one university for every one million people, a worrying statistic that shows how hard it is for many Nigerians to access higher education.
Quoting data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics and IndexMundi, Obi said that countries focused on strong development aim for a Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of at least 40%. Nigeria’s GER, however, is only 12%.
To show the gap, Obi compared Nigeria to Indonesia. He noted that Indonesia, with around 280 million people, has over 4,000 tertiary institutions — about one university for every 70,000 people — and a GER of over 45%. Indonesia also has more than 10 million students enrolled in higher education across different age groups.
He explained that Indonesia’s investment in education is clear in the number of universities it has across the country, making access to education safer and easier. Obi argued that if Nigeria had even half of Indonesia’s educational infrastructure, Nigerian students would not have to risk their lives just to take an entrance exam, only to still struggle for admission afterward.
Obi stressed that education should not be seen as a luxury or an expense but as the most important investment for a nation’s development. He added that it is not possible to claim to value citizens while risking the lives of teenagers every exam season.
He urged for a serious expansion of Nigeria’s education system to match the needs of its growing population. Obi concluded by saying the country must do better to protect its young people and build a future where education is easily accessible and safe for all.
