Obasanjo Reveals How Govt Can Get Nigerians Out of Poverty

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed the best way to get Nigerians out of poverty.

According to him, the government can achieve the feat by turning the country’s growing population into an asset.

Obasanjo insisted that only investment in human development and education would turn Nigeria’s population from liability to asset.

He said this in a keynote address titled: “Importance of Network in Life and Business” during the launch of the Gateway chapter of Business Network International (BNI) in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

The former president said:

“We lay emphasis on our natural resources, and when we talk of our natural resources, we are talking of mine, oil and gas, gold, whatever we can find in the bush or under the ground. But for me, our most important natural resource is human beings.

“By the year 2050, we will be the third largest country in the world with a population of well over 450 million. Only China and India will be larger than us in population. That can be an asset, and it can be a liability.

“I won’t say more than that for now because that requires a whole day to discuss how not to make it a liability, what we have to do to make our population an asset.

He commended BNI for its plan to support over 25,000 businesses and one million families through employment and value-creation growth.

He further stated that the GNI’s plan to contribute N650 billion annually to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product should be encouraged.