We Went To Indonesia We Didn't See People Begging,They Said They've Factories People Are Working-Obi

In a video shared by Symfoni TV, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has reiterated his long-standing call for industrialisation as a pathway to reducing poverty and social vices in Nigeria.

Speaking while reflecting on lessons Nigeria can learn from other developing nations, Obi emphasized that sustainable economic growth must be driven by productivity and job creation rather than dependency.

Obi drew comparisons between Nigeria and Indonesia, highlighting how strong manufacturing and industrial sectors can transform a country’s economy and society.

He stated, “So those are the prayers. We went to Indonesia, and we didn’t see people begging for money. We didn’t see people stealing. We didn’t see people doing such things. 

And when we asked them, they said they have factories where people are working. That’s what we need. We need factories.”

According to him, the absence of widespread begging, stealing, and economic desperation in Indonesia is closely tied to the availability of jobs created through factories and industrial activities.

He has repeatedly stressed the importance of investing in manufacturing, small and medium-scale enterprises, and value-added industries to absorb Nigeria’s growing youth population into the workforce.