VIDEO: Peter Obi Donates ₦20m to Stranded UNICAL Dentistry Students

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has donated ₦20 million to over 300 stranded Dentistry students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).

He made the donation during a visit to Calabar on Friday, July 25, 2025.

Obi met some of the affected students at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport.

He expressed deep concern over their academic struggles, calling their plight a heartbreaking example of leadership failure in Nigeria’s education and healthcare sectors.

The students, all in their final year, have been left in limbo due to the refusal of the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council (NMDC) to approve their graduation.

The Council insists that UNICAL exceeded its quota, which only permits 10 students per session for Dentistry.

As a result, the university asked hundreds of students to seek transfers to other institutions.

Many of these students have spent years completing clinical requirements and examinations.

Now, they face the painful possibility of starting over or abandoning their dreams entirely.

Obi, visibly emotional during the interaction, urged the federal government and regulatory bodies to act swiftly.

He also called on Nigerians of goodwill to step in and support the affected students, saying their suffering is unacceptable in a country with enormous resources.

He stressed that the education system needs urgent reform, not just money.

According to him, students should never be punished for failures caused by institutional mismanagement and lack of planning.

The ₦20 million donation, Obi said, is a token to support immediate relocation costs for those who must transfer to new universities.

He added that every young Nigerian deserves a fair shot at their future, regardless of the systemic rot they face.

This is not the first time Peter Obi has publicly supported educational causes.

He has consistently donated to public schools, hospitals, and institutions across Nigeria, using his private funds.

Reactions to his gesture flooded social media shortly after the visit.

Many praised his consistent support for youth and education, while others criticized the government for neglecting the students in the first place.

UNICAL has yet to respond officially to Obi’s donation or the NMDC’s decision.

However, pressure is mounting on both the university and the federal government to find a sustainable solution.

For now, Obi’s intervention brings hope to students left in the dark by a broken system.

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