Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the poor performance recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), describing it as a glaring indication of Nigeria’s deteriorating education system.
In a post shared via his verified social media account, Obi highlighted that out of the 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), only about 420,000 scored above 200.
He noted that this means more than 78% of candidates fell below the benchmark.
“This reflects a deeply broken educational structure,” Obi stated, attributing the outcome to years of neglect and underfunding in the sector.
He emphasized the urgent need to reposition education as a national priority, warning that any serious development effort must begin with educational reform.
Drawing comparisons with other nations, Obi pointed out that Bangladesh, with a smaller population than Nigeria, has over 3.4 million students enrolled at its National University. Similarly, Turkey, with a population of approximately 87.7 million, boasts over 7 million university students—more than three times Nigeria’s current figure.
Obi stressed that education must be viewed not merely as a social service, but as a critical driver of national development.
“To lift millions out of poverty and build a stable, prosperous Nigeria, we need massive and targeted investments in education,” he said.