Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for responsive and competent leadership as Nigeria and Africa prepare to confront the challenges and opportunities presented by the global artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. Obi made the remarks on Friday, September 26, 2025, in Chicago, United States, where he delivered the keynote speech at the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA). His address was themed “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Pharmaceutical Development and Healthcare Delivery.”
Obi highlighted that AI is the next frontier of the digital revolution and has the potential to transform healthcare and other sectors of human development. He, however, expressed concern that Nigeria and other African countries risk being left behind due to poor leadership, weak policies, and ineffective implementation. Drawing comparisons with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Obi noted that while several Asian nations integrated these global frameworks into their national agendas and achieved significant progress, Africa has largely struggled to produce similar outcomes.
He stressed that competent leadership rooted in capacity, character, compassion, and commitment is essential if Nigeria is to embrace AI as a tool for development. According to him, only leaders who understand the transformative potential of technology and are willing to adopt forward-looking policies can position the continent to benefit from the fourth industrial revolution.
Later in the day, Obi was also a keynote speaker at an event hosted by the University of Chicago under the theme “Youth and Development Across the Diaspora: Vision, Purpose, Impact.” Speaking before an audience of academics, students, and diaspora professionals, he transformed his address into an interactive dialogue rather than a formal speech, engaging participants in a lively exchange of ideas. He encouraged African youth in the diaspora to maintain strong ties with the continent, stressing that Africa’s future will not only depend on domestic policies but also on the innovation, solidarity, and active involvement of its diaspora community.
His engagements in Chicago reflect a continuing trend of Nigerian political figures and thought leaders using international platforms to push conversations around leadership, technology, and development. Observers note that as Africa faces mounting socio-economic pressures, debates around how to harness new technologies such as AI could determine whether the continent narrows or widens the gap with the rest of the world in the years ahead.
📩 Reported by: Stone Reporters News
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