Peter Obi questions ₦1 trillion disbursement by DBN, calling for transparency and accountability on funds meant to empower Nigerian MSMEs

The ₦1 trillion disbursement reportedly made by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) since 2015 has come under scrutiny, as Peter Obi raises concerns over the authenticity of the claims.

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The former Anambra Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate highlighted a disturbing disconnect between the DBN’s reported disbursement and the lived experiences of small business owners across Nigeria.

Despite over ₦1 trillion, equivalent to more than $1 billion, being reportedly disbursed, the majority of MSMEs remain unaware of the Bank’s existence or its financial support.

Obi points out that if such a colossal sum was truly deployed effectively, it should have translated into visible economic growth, new jobs, and thriving businesses.

He estimates that with an average loan size of $1000, at least one million businesses could have been supported, potentially generating three million jobs and lifting countless Nigerians out of poverty.

Yet, the stark reality is quite the opposite: unemployment continues to soar, businesses struggle, and poverty deepens.

Obi’s probing questions cut to the heart of the matter—where exactly did the ₦1 trillion go?

Calling for urgent transparency, Peter Obi insists that Nigerians deserve clear answers about who benefitted, which enterprises were created, and the tangible impact on employment and poverty reduction.

Without such accountability, he warns the disbursement claim risks being “another round of grand deception,” where national resources are siphoned by elites under the guise of empowerment.

Peter Obi’s message resonates as a powerful call for change. He asserts that empowerment is more than rhetoric—it must be proven through real results.