By Peter Omopo
Lagos, September 9, 2025 — Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has resumed public activities after taking a brief medical rest over the weekend.
Obi had announced on Saturday that he was suspending all engagements, both within and outside Nigeria, on the advice of his doctor after falling ill at a tourism event in Enugu on Friday.
“I am complying with my doctor’s advice and will be taking a short rest, during which I will not be able to meet up with scheduled engagements,” he said in a post on his official X handle.
Focus on SMEs
On Monday, the former governor returned to public engagements by honouring a long-standing promise to visit an SME owned by a Nigerian entrepreneur he met during his travels.
He underscored the critical role of small businesses in economic development, noting that the company, MDH, employs more than 50 young Nigerians directly and indirectly. With the right investment and policy support, Obi said, the enterprise has the potential to expand significantly.
Drawing comparisons with Bangladesh, where textiles generate over $50 billion annually and account for more than 70 percent of national exports, Obi lamented the collapse of Nigeria’s once-thriving textile sector.
“Our textile sector has regrettably collapsed and now contributes very little to the national economy. This shows how much untapped potential lies within our borders,” he said.
Call for Economic Shift
Reiterating his long-held position, Obi called for Nigeria to shift from a consumption-driven economy to one based on local production.
“Investing in small businesses is key to lifting millions out of poverty and positioning Nigeria as a global player in creativity and trade,” he said.
