Peter Obi Challenges FG To Provide Evidence Of N1 Trillion MSME Disbursement Since 2015 Amid Rising Poverty

 

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has openly confronted the Federal Government, demanding proof of the alleged disbursement of over N1 trillion to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria since 2015. The former Anambra State governor voiced his concerns on Wednesday through a post on his verified X handle, raising sharp questions about accountability, transparency, and the absence of visible impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.

According to Obi, the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) recently reported that it had released over N1 trillion in loans to MSMEs within the past eight years. He described the announcement as questionable, stressing that a significant portion of Nigerians remain unaware of DBN’s activities or even its existence. He pointed out that institutions like DBN can only be considered effective if their efforts are recognized, utilized, and felt by the very people they are designed to serve.

The politician emphasized that such a massive outlay should have transformed Nigeria’s struggling economic landscape. He explained that if the reported funds had been properly disbursed, the results would be obvious to everyone. Using simple economic reasoning, Obi noted that $1 billion, when broken down into small loans of $1,000 each, could have reached at least one million small businesses. He argued that this scale of intervention should have produced a chain reaction of new opportunities, including no less than three million jobs.

Rather than experiencing such progress, Nigerians continue to grapple with worsening unemployment, the collapse of small businesses, and the mass exodus of enterprises from the country. Obi underlined that instead of witnessing any decline in poverty, the opposite appears to be the case. Poverty levels are increasing, inflation continues to batter household incomes, and the capacity of small businesses to thrive is being further diminished.

For Obi, these grim realities call into question the authenticity of DBN’s reported disbursement. He stated that if N1 trillion truly left the bank’s coffers for the purpose of empowering Nigerians, there should be tangible evidence on the ground. His queries were blunt and direct: who exactly were the beneficiaries, what businesses were created, where are the jobs, and what proof exists that poverty was reduced as a result?

He rejected the idea that empowerment should be used as a slogan or as part of campaign rhetoric. To him, empowerment can only be meaningful when it yields measurable results in the form of job creation, enterprise growth, and poverty alleviation. Obi warned that without concrete answers, the DBN’s claims risk being interpreted as another case of national resources being captured by the elite few and repackaged as empowerment programs.

The outspoken politician stressed that Nigerians deserve better clarity on how public funds are being managed. He urged the Federal Government to release comprehensive data on the supposed disbursements, including the names of beneficiaries, the sectors that benefited, and the economic results generated. He maintained that transparency and accountability are essential in order to restore public confidence and ensure that scarce national resources are genuinely used to uplift the people.

Obi’s challenge resonates strongly within a country where many citizens increasingly doubt the credibility of government interventions. Over the years, similar empowerment schemes have been announced with great fanfare, only to disappear without trace, leaving the targeted groups in the same or worse conditions. The concern is not simply about whether the money was disbursed but whether it actually reached the intended recipients and created visible changes in their circumstances.

He concluded his remarks by declaring that Nigeria must never accept vague statistics or unverified claims as proof of progress. Instead, citizens should demand evidence of real impact, especially when such vast sums are said to have been spent. To him, accountability is no longer optional but a necessity if the nation is to overcome the deepening crises of unemployment and poverty.

Obi’s comments are expected to fuel further debate around government spending and the transparency of state-backed financial institutions. Many Nigerians will now be waiting for the Federal Government or the DBN to provide details that either support or contradict the claims. The demand for proof is unlikely to fade quickly, particularly in a climate where economic hardship is intensifying, and citizens are growing more vocal in questioning the decisions of those in power.

By throwing this challenge, Obi has not only questioned the effectiveness of DBN but has also reignited conversations about how Nigeria manages resources meant to stimulate growth and development. Whether the Federal Government will provide the answers remains uncertain, but what is clear is that Nigerians are increasingly unwilling to accept claims that fail to match their everyday realities.