One of the clearest lessons I have taken from the recent tensions between Iran and the United States is a truth that Chief Obafemi Awolowo preached consistently throughout his life: the real wealth of a nation lies not beneath its soil, but within the minds of its people.
Natural resources may create opportunities, but it is the quality of a nation’s education, innovation, and skilled workforce that determines how quickly it can advance — especially in difficult times.
Iran offers a striking example of this principle. Despite decades of crippling U.S. sanctions, the country has built a level of self-reliance that many developing nations can only aspire to.
In healthcare, Iran has made remarkable progress. According to Iranian health authorities, the country now produces between 90% and 99% of its pharmaceutical needs locally, a major leap from its past dependence on imports. Studies also show that Iran’s domestic pharmaceutical sector has grown significantly over the years, supported by local manufacturing and a strong research ecosystem. While some critical raw materials are still imported, the country’s ability to maintain broad drug production under sanctions is still a notable achievement.
That progress did not happen by accident. Iran invested in education, science, and industrial linkages between universities and local manufacturers. Its strong petrochemical sector also helped it begin producing key pharmaceutical inputs that were once sourced abroad.
Beyond healthcare, Iran has built substantial industrial and infrastructure capacity. The country has long developed domestic expertise in energy, engineering, and power systems, helping it sustain a large electricity generation network and reduce dependence on foreign technical support. Its industrial base also supports major sectors such as automobile production and steel.
Iran remains one of the Middle East’s largest vehicle manufacturers and a significant global steel producer. These are not small achievements for a country operating under sanctions that have cut it off from many international financial and supply systems.
Its food security is another major pillar of resilience. During the 2017 Gulf blockade, Iran moved quickly to help supply food to Qatar, reportedly sending more than 1,000 tonnes of food daily. That capacity reflected not just agricultural strength, but also logistics readiness and national planning.
Even during the current conflict, reports from CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen suggested that many shops, supermarkets, and bazaars in Iran remained open and stocked, with no visible signs of panic buying or breakdown in daily life. While wartime reporting can never capture every reality on the ground, the scenes still pointed to a society with functioning supply systems and institutional depth.
Iran’s fuel subsidy system also remains one of the most extensive in the world. Although the country has adjusted pricing for heavy users, ordinary citizens still benefit from heavily subsidised fuel rates — a policy that continues to cushion living costs despite economic pressure.
None of this means Iran is without problems. Sanctions have hurt its economy, inflation remains a challenge, and ordinary citizens still face hardship. But the larger point remains difficult to ignore: a country that invests in knowledge, science, local production, and institutional capacity can withstand external shocks far better than one that depends only on crude exports and imported solutions.
This is where the Nigerian conversation becomes unavoidable.
For too long, many of our leaders have offered excuses for poor infrastructure, weak institutions, power shortages, failing schools, food insecurity, and rising hardship. Yet countries facing harsher external pressure have still found ways to build resilience by prioritising human capital.
Iran’s example should not be romanticised, but it should be studied. It reinforces Awolowo’s enduring message: the greatest resource any nation can develop is the intellect, skill, and discipline of its people.
Until Nigeria takes that lesson seriously, excuses will continue to sound hollow.
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