Peter Obi has attributed Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup to poor leadership and weak institutions, while congratulating the African countries representing the continent at the tournament.
Obi made the remarks in a statement shared on his official social media page on July 5, 2026.
In the statement, the former Anambra State governor congratulated all African teams participating in the competition, with particular praise for Cape Verde, which advanced to the knockout stage despite its relatively small population and landmass.
He noted that Cape Verde has a landmass of 4,033 square kilometres, less than 0.5 per cent of Nigeria’s 923,768 square kilometres, and a population of about 550,000, representing less than 0.25 per cent of Nigeria’s estimated 230 million people.
Obi also pointed out that Cape Verde’s population is about 200,000 fewer than that of Ogbomoso, yet the country progressed to the knockout stage of the World Cup.
> “Cape Verde has once again demonstrated that greatness is not determined by size or population, but by planning and disciplined execution. When systems work, even the smallest nations can compete with the best in the world,” he stated.
Obi argued that Nigeria’s absence from the tournament was not due to a lack of football talent but the result of what he described as years of poor administration, weak institutions and leadership that failed to build sustainable systems.
According to him, the country’s experience should serve as a reminder of the need to strengthen institutions, reward competence and improve leadership across all sectors.
> “If we can get leadership right, strengthen our institutions, plan and execute properly, and reward talent over connections, Nigeria can become a global success story, not only in football but also in other areas,” he said.
Obi maintained that effective leadership, stronger institutions and proper planning remain critical to Nigeria’s development, expressing confidence that the country can still achieve sustainable progress.
> “A New Nigeria is POssible and Nigeria will be OK,” he added.
