{
  "id": 7362092,
  "title": "Nigeria has no reason to be poor – Obasanjo",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/nigeria-has-no-reason-to-be-poor-obasanjo",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T17:02:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/14/nigeria-has-no-reason-to-be-poor-obasanjo/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has asserted that the nation has no valid reason to remain impoverished. During an interview on the C-Suite Cafe, hosted by Ikem Okuhu, Obasanjo highlighted that Nigeria possesses ample natural and human resources to cater to its populace's needs and foster a thriving economy. He attributed a portion of the country's economic woes to policies that incentivize the importation of goods capable of being produced domestically, arguing that such practices undermine local farmers and businesses. Obasanjo questioned why a land-abundant country, replete with water, rainfall, and a substantial population, continues to grapple with poverty. \"Give me one reason why Nigeria should be poor. Is it the land that we don’t have or the desert that we are in or the people that we don’t have or the water that we don’t have or the rain that we don’t have?\" he inquired.\n\nAccording to Obasanjo, Nigeria's agricultural potential ought to be recognized as a significant economic asset rather than permitting the country to become overly reliant on foreign products. He reminisced about his tenure as chairman of the African Union, where he accompanied John Kufuor, then chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, on a trip to Guinea-Bissau. Obasanjo observed that despite Guinea-Bissau being endowed with fertile land and agricultural resources, the nation still depended on imported food. He noted the sight of bananas and other fruits growing naturally as they neared Guinea-Bissau, only to consume imported apples and grapes at their hotel. Obasanjo concluded that this discrepancy is one of the contributing factors to the country's plight.",
  "summary": "A former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has said the country has no reason to remain poor. Obasanjo stated this during interview on C-Suite Cafe, hosted by Ikem Okuhu, where he said Nigeria has enough natural and human resources to produce what its people need and build a prosperous economy. Obasanjo blamed part of Nigeria’s economic […] Nigeria has no reason to be poor – Obasanjo",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Nigeria has no business with poverty, says Obasanjo",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/nigeria-has-no-business-with-poverty-says-obasanjo",
        "published": "2026-09-14T14:44:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}