‘Nigeria Is Broken’ — Pat Utomi Laments Hardship

Pat Utomi has lamented the current hardship in Nigeria.

Philips News reports that Prof Pat Utomi has painted a stark picture of the country’s economic hardship, using a personal experience to illustrate the widening gap between living costs and citizens’ income.

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This online newspaper notes that Utomi made this comment while speaking at a national summit held in Ibadan, Oyo State, southwest Nigeria, on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

At the forum, key opposition figures, including Rauf Aregbesola, Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi, and Peter Obi, met to chart a common strategy.

Speaking at the forum, Professor Utomi said: “Let me begin with a simple experience from yesterday. I set out to buy fuel, and by the time I was done, I had spent nearly 250,000 naira just to fill my tank.

“At the same time, I came across a report showing that a large percentage of Nigerians live on less than 100,000 naira a month. That contrast is not just troubling, it is absurd. If that doesn’t reveal something fundamentally broken in our system, then nothing will.”

Utomi noted that the crisis extended beyond fuel prices, stressing, “Food prices are rising, insecurity continues to disrupt agriculture, and ordinary people are struggling to survive. Yet we are often told to be patient, that things will improve with time. But patience means very little to those who are hungry today.”

Reflecting on Nigeria’s past, he added: “In the years leading up to independence, Nigeria was not industrialised, but there was a clear vision. Within a few years, manufacturing began to grow significantly. There was direction, there was purpose.”

Calling for urgent reforms, Utomi said: “We need leadership with character. We need policies that reflect our realities, not borrowed solutions that do not fit our context. Above all, we must listen to the voices of the people. The situation we face is serious, but it is not hopeless. With the right leadership, the right values, and a shared commitment to progress, we can rebuild this nation and create a future that works for all.”

Meanwhile, PhilipsNews reports that Pat Utomi is a renowned Nigerian professor of political economy and management expert, currently holding a professorship in the Social and Political Economy Environment of Business at Lagos Business School.