Peter Obi exposes how Indonesia outperforms Nigeria in key sectors

DDM News

Peter Obi has continued his engagements in Indonesia, where he is examining the country’s rapid progress in key development areas.

Diaspora digital media (DDM) reviled that his meetings on Wednesday and Thursday focused on healthcare, education, and MSMEs, following productive discussions earlier in the week.

At the Ministry of Health, he met with Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin to discuss Indonesia’s advancements in universal health coverage.

Indonesia’s National Health Insurance Program (JKN) now covers 98% of the population, ensuring healthcare access for even the poorest citizens.

Minister Sadikin emphasized that preventive care remains Indonesia’s strongest public health strategy to reduce disease burdens across the nation.

The government fully subsidizes health insurance premiums for low-income individuals to ensure equal access to quality healthcare services.

Indonesia is also expanding the training of primary healthcare workers, including in rural areas, to make healthcare truly inclusive.

At the Ministry of Education, Obi met with Prof. Dr. Nunuk Survani and her team to discuss Indonesia’s education system.

Indonesia’s education sector serves about 50 million pupils at the basic level and employs over 3 million teachers nationwide.

To maintain quality, all teachers must have a degree and obtain professional certification before being allowed to teach.

With strict enforcement of its compulsory basic education policy, Indonesia has achieved a 99% school enrollment rate.

This has significantly reduced the number of out-of-school children, a persistent problem that continues to plague Nigeria.

Indonesia dedicates 20% of its national budget to education, making it a key pillar of national development.

Peter Obi stressed that a well-educated population directly influences a country’s economic growth and development.

Indonesia has over 4,000 universities, whereas Nigeria, despite having a similar population size, has less than 10% of that number.

Based on this ratio, Nigeria should have at least 1,000 universities to meet educational demands.

Obi’s final meeting was with Indonesia’s Ministry of MSMEs to understand how the country supports small businesses.

MSMEs contribute 61% to Indonesia’s GDP and employ 97% of the workforce, making them a key economic driver.

The ministry provides mentorship, training, equipment, and financial support to small businesses to ensure their sustainability.

A major factor in Indonesia’s MSME success is the availability of low-interest bank loans to entrepreneurs.

Banks in Indonesia allocate about $20 billion in loans to MSMEs at interest rates between 3% and 6%.

The government subsidizes the difference between these rates and commercial loan rates of 12% to 13%.

In contrast, Nigeria’s over 40 million SMEs receive less than 10% of what Indonesia allocates to small businesses.

This funding gap, coupled with other economic challenges, has stifled the growth of Nigerian entrepreneurs.

Obi described Indonesia as a learning model for developing nations due to its strategic policy implementations.

He stressed that Nigeria must adopt long-term reforms in healthcare, education, and economic policies for sustainable progress.

Indonesia prioritizes governance strategies that ensure development rather than short-term political gains.

Obi believes that with the right policies and leadership, Nigeria can replicate Indonesia’s success.

For him, the dream of a new Nigeria remains possible.

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