UTME mass failure: Peter Obi calls for urgent education reforms

Obi

Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has decried the state of Nigeria’s education system following the release of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination figures, which revealed that over 78% of candidates scored below 200.

In a statement posted on his official social media handles on Tuesday, Obi described the outcome as “a reflection of the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system,” citing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s official figures.

According to him, out of 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the UTME, only about 420,000 scored above 200, leaving more than 1.5 million with scores below the 200 mark.

Obi blamed the alarming failure rate on years of neglect and poor investment in the education sector.

“The latest JAMB results once again highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education, a sector that should be central to our national development strategy,” he said.

He drew comparisons with other countries to underscore Nigeria’s lag in educational advancement.

“Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI),” he said.

Obi pointed out that while Nigeria has around 2 million students enrolled in universities nationwide, Bangladesh’s National University alone has over 3.4 million students, despite having only 75% of Nigeria’s population.

He also noted that Turkey, with a population of about 87.7 million, boasts over 7 million university students — more than three times Nigeria’s total enrollment.

“Education is not just a social service; it is a strategic investment. It is the most critical driver of national development and the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty,” he stressed.