By Elizabeth Godwin
Former presidential candidate and Labour Party leader, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the recently released results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), describing the outcome as a stark indicator of Nigeria’s deteriorating education system.
In a statement shared via his official social media platform, Obi highlighted the troubling statistics released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), revealing that out of 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the examination, only about 420,000 scored above 200 out of a possible 400 marks. This implies that over 78 percent of the candidates fell below the benchmark, signaling what Obi termed a “crisis in our education sector.”
“This means that over 1.5 million young Nigerians scored below 200,” Obi wrote. “It is a reflection of the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system.”
The former Anambra State governor attributed the poor performance to decades of underinvestment in education, arguing that the sector has been neglected despite its critical role in national development.
Drawing international comparisons, Obi pointed out that Nigeria’s entire university enrollment stands at around 2 million students. In contrast, the National University of Bangladesh alone has over 3.4 million students, even though the country has only about 75 percent of Nigeria’s population. He also cited Turkey’s university enrollment, which exceeds 7 million, despite a population of approximately 87.7 million – less than half of Nigeria’s.
“These comparisons are sobering,” he noted. “Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in almost every measurable development index, now surpasses us in key areas, including the Human Development Index.”
Obi emphasized that education should be seen not merely as a social service, but as a strategic investment essential for national growth, poverty reduction, and social equity.
“We must now invest aggressively in education – at all levels – if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria,” he urged.
The JAMB results and Obi’s remarks have sparked renewed discussions about the state of education in Nigeria, with analysts and stakeholders calling for comprehensive reforms to reverse the downward trend.
