Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has reiterated that only competent and responsible leadership can unlock Nigeria’s development potential.
Obi made the remarks on Friday while delivering a keynote address at the inaugural Lagos Business School All-MBA Students Conference, which also hosted visiting students from Cambridge University’s Judge Business School. The conference had the theme: “Execution as a Competitive Edge.”
Leadership as the Missing Link
According to Obi, while strategic plans and policies are necessary, they remain meaningless without disciplined execution.
“Execution is what delivers results or desired outcomes,” he said, stressing that execution is anchored on leaders with capacity, compassion, and character—qualities he described as grossly lacking in Nigeria’s governance.
He cited China, India, and Vietnam as models, noting that disciplined execution of development goals helped them lift hundreds of millions out of poverty. By contrast, he lamented that Nigeria, despite adopting similar strategies, continues to regress.
“Sadly, while other countries are lifting people out of poverty, more Nigerians are falling into it, with over 130 million now classified as multidimensionally poor,” Obi stated.
Lessons for Public and Private Sectors
Obi also drew lessons from the private sector, arguing that successful companies achieve sustainable growth through disciplined execution led by competent managers.
“To deliver disciplined execution with lasting positive impact, what is required is leadership with capacity, compassion, and character. That is what Nigeria needs today,” he said, adding that he remains hopeful that “a new Nigeria is possible.”
Conference Highlights
The event brought together MBA students from across Nigeria alongside their international counterparts to exchange ideas on leadership, execution, and sustainable development.
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