Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern over the country’s worsening education crisis, revealing that an estimated 24 million Nigerian children who should be in school are currently out of the education system.

Obasanjo raised the concern on Friday, October 30, 2026, while speaking at the Ajibosin Platform public forum in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The event was themed “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Solve Grassroots Problems and Accelerate National Development.”

The former president described the growing number of out-of-school children as a major threat to Nigeria’s future, warning that failure to address the situation could create serious social and economic challenges for coming generations.

“We have 24 million Nigerian children who should be in school but are not. If you are looking for the disasters of tomorrow, these children represent one of them,” he said.

Obasanjo challenged policymakers and technology experts to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) could help address Nigeria’s educational challenges and improve access to learning opportunities.

He also identified healthcare, agriculture, food production and pharmaceutical development as critical sectors where AI could support national development.

According to him, Nigeria must develop the capacity to control and deploy emerging technologies in ways that address its local challenges rather than depend entirely on foreign solutions.

Calls for Better Leadership and Economic Reforms

Beyond education, Obasanjo questioned Nigeria’s economic performance over the past 47 years, particularly the depreciation of the naira against the US dollar.

He also criticised the country’s growing dependence on foreign economic institutions, including the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), arguing that their recommendations may not always reflect Nigeria’s development needs.

The former president further warned against excessive government borrowing, describing debt as more destructive than leprosy because of its impact on successive generations.

His comments come amid renewed discussions about Nigeria’s education challenges, economic direction and the need for sustainable development policies.

Obasanjo urged Nigerian leaders to take responsibility for addressing the country’s challenges and develop practical solutions that would improve the lives of citizens.