How I cut cost as Anambra governor — Peter Obi

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has explained how he reduced the cost of governance during his tenure as governor of Anambra State.

Obi spoke in Washington, DC, United States, on Monday, where he said his administration deliberately avoided unnecessary expenditure and ensured that public funds were not spent on inflated projects.

The former Anambra governor said he also reduced expenses associated with official travel by refusing to move around with the large entourage often associated with public officials.

According to Obi, he was able to complete projects relating to the refurbishment of his official facilities at significantly lower costs than the amounts initially provided for them in the state budget.

“When I was governor, the budget for refurbishing my office was N298 million, but I did everything with N48 million. There was also a budget of N486 million to refurbish my house, but I completed everything with N81 million,” Obi said.

Obi says fewer officials accompanied him on foreign trips

The former governor also highlighted what he described as unnecessary expenditure associated with official travels by public officials.

Obi said governors were often expected to travel with large entourages, but he deliberately chose not to take such a large number of people on his official trips.

He explained that most of the people who could ordinarily accompany a governor were not invited to the events or meetings he attended, making their presence and the expenses associated with their travel unnecessary.

“As a governor, you are supposed to travel with 30 people to several places. Over the years I was governor, I didn’t use 16 percent of my travel allowance because I wasn’t travelling with anybody. I was the only person invited; nobody invited them,” he said.

Obi said his approach to official travel helped reduce the amount of public funds spent on allowances and other expenses associated with accompanying officials.

He maintained that public office holders should distinguish between legitimate government expenditure and spending that merely adds to the cost of administration without producing corresponding benefits for citizens.

Presidential candidate calls for productive use of resources

The NDC presidential candidate reiterated his position that Nigeria’s scarce resources should be channelled towards sectors capable of directly improving the welfare of citizens.

Obi said government expenditure should be focused on productive areas that can stimulate development and improve living conditions rather than on unnecessary administrative costs.

He argued that reducing the cost of governance would free up resources that could be invested in sectors with greater impact on the economy and the lives of Nigerians.

The former Anambra governor’s comments come as political parties and presidential hopefuls begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election, with the cost of governance and management of public resources expected to remain major issues in the political debate.

Obi has repeatedly made prudent management of public resources a central part of his political message, particularly his argument that government should prioritise productive investment and reduce avoidable expenditure.