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Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has congratulated African countries that have performed at the World Cup, while using Cape Verde’s success to highlight Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the tournament.
In a statement on Sunday, Obi noted that Cape Verde, a nation with a landmass of 4,033 square kilometres and a population of about 550,000, reached the knockout stage of the World Cup.
Obi said Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup is not due to a lack of talent but the result of “years of poor administration, weak institutions, and leadership that has consistently failed to build sustainable systems.”
He noted that Cape Verde’s population is less than 0.25 percent of Nigeria’s 230 million, and its landmass is less than 0.5 percent of Nigeria’s 923,768 square kilometres.
Obi stated, “Congratulations to all the African countries representing our continent at the World Cup. Your performances have made Africa proud.
“Special congratulations to Cape Verde, a nation with a landmass of 4,033 sq km, which is less than 0.5% of Nigeria’s landmass of 923,768 sq km, and a population of about 550,000, which is less than 0.25% of Nigeria’s population of 230,000,000. For context, Cape Verde has about 200,000 fewer people than Ogbomoso. Yet, they reached the knockout stage of the World Cup.
“Cape Verde has once again demonstrated that greatness is not determined by size or population, but by planning and disciplined execution. When systems work, even the smallest nations can compete with the best in the world.
“Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup is not a consequence of a lack of talent. It is the result of years of poor administration, weak institutions, and leadership that has consistently failed to build sustainable systems.
“This is the lesson for us as a nation: if we can get leadership right, strengthen our institutions, plan and execute properly, and reward talent over connections, Nigeria can become a global success story, not only in football but also in other areas.”
Congratulations to all the African countries representing our continent at the World Cup. Your performances have made Africa proud.
Special congratulations to Cape Verde, a nation with a landmass of 4,033 sq km, which is less than 0.5% of Nigeria’s landmass of 923,768 sq km, and…
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) July 5, 2026
