By Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja
After constantly preaching investment on infrastructure, Peter Obi, former presidential candidate and Labour Party leader, has declared that Nigeria does not require new airport infrastructure at a time when over 34 million citizens face severe hunger.
His comments come amid uproar from the oppositions in the country over the government’s approval of N712 billion for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
“At a time when Nigerians are starving, when children are going to bed without food, and when millions are displaced by insecurity, spending such colossal amounts on airport renovations is not just misplaced – it is immoral. Nigeria does not need airport infrastructure now; it needs food, security, and basic survival for its people”, Obi stated.
The Labour Party leader questioned the government’s priorities, noting that Nigeria currently ranks among the world’s hungriest nations while approving massive infrastructure spending. “Development is about choices,” Obi argued. “A nation that builds airports while its people starve is not developing; it is decorating a graveyard.”
Obi reminded Nigerians that the country had secured a $500 million loan from China in 2013 to upgrade five international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.
“If that massive investment was made barely a decade ago, what justifies an even larger sum today for just one airport – especially at a time when Nigerians are starving?” he asked.
In response to the outcry, the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, defended the allocation, insisting that the renovation was critical to modernising Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure and boosting economic growth.
“This is not just about painting walls or changing carpets,” Keyamo said during a recent interview. “We are addressing critical safety concerns, upgrading navigational equipment, and expanding terminals to meet international standards. A functional aviation sector attracts foreign investment and facilitates trade—it is an economic enabler.”
Keyamo also clarified that the funds would be sourced through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Funds, savings from fuel subsidy removal.
However, the former Anambra governor emphasised that food security constitutes national security and should be the government’s major priority.
“Our primary obligation is to protect and provide for our people, to ensure they are fed, healthy and secure,” he said. “While physical infrastructure like airports matters, they cannot be prioritised against hunger, health, education and security.”
Obi’s comments come as the Federal Government faces mounting criticism for the airport renovation budget approved on August 1, 2025 – the same day national dailies published UN warnings about Nigeria’s hunger crisis. The allocation has sparked nationwide debate about fiscal responsibility and development priorities.
“A government that builds grandiose infrastructure while its people starve is not building a nation – it is betraying one,” Obi stated. He called for immediate redirection of resources to critical sectors like agriculture, education and healthcare.
The opposition leader concluded with a message of hope: “A new Nigeria is possible. But we must prioritise and concentrate our resources in critical areas of development: security of lives and property, health, education and pulling our people out of poverty.”
Obi urged the government to “put Nigerians first in every policy, every budget, and every decision,” warning that continued misplaced priorities would deepen the country’s crises. “The time has come to rethink our priorities,” he said. “National progress begins with human development, not with grandiose infrastructure projects.”
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