The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has renewed his call for responsive and competent leadership in Nigeria, stressing that the country must not miss the opportunities presented by the ongoing Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution.
Obi made the call on Friday, while delivering the keynote speech at the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA) Annual Conference 2025 held in Chicago, USA.
Speaking on the theme, “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Pharmaceutical Development and Healthcare Delivery,” Obi highlighted AI as a critical driver of the digital revolution with transformative potential across multiple sectors, particularly healthcare.
He, however, expressed concern that Africa, and Nigeria in particular, risked being left behind due to “poor leadership, weak policy formulation, and the perennial challenge of policy implementation.”
Drawing parallels with the continent’s experience with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Obi noted that while many Asian countries successfully integrated global development agendas into national policies, Nigeria and several African nations have struggled to achieve similar progress.
“For African nations, especially Nigeria, to harness the opportunities of the AI revolution, competent leadership is non-negotiable,” Obi said.
“We need leaders with capacity, character, compassion, and commitment—leaders who understand the transformative potential of AI and can position our societies to embrace it as a tool to leapfrog development.”
Later in the day, Obi also featured as the keynote speaker at another high-profile event at the University of Chicago themed “Youth and Development Across the Diaspora: Vision, Purpose, Impact.”
At the prestigious institution renowned for its intellectual tradition and pioneering research, Obi adopted an interactive, dialogue-style format instead of a formal speech, engaging participants in a vibrant question-and-answer session on Africa’s development challenges and opportunities.
He urged young Africans in the diaspora to sustain their interest in the continent’s growth and to contribute through innovation, advocacy, and collaboration.
“The future of Africa will be shaped not only by policies at home but also by the engagement, innovation, and solidarity of Africans in the diaspora,” he said.
Both events drew large and diverse audiences and underscored Obi’s continuing advocacy for purposeful leadership and inclusive development as key to Nigeria and Africa’s progress in an increasingly technology-driven world.
