By Spy Uganda Correspondent
Nigerians in Lagos took to the street on Monday to continue the economic hardship protests despite President Tinubu’s plea for suspension of the demonstration.
The protests, tagged “days of rage”, are mainly against Nigeria’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation and accusations of misgovernment and corruption in Africa’s most populous country and a top oil producer where public officials’ huge earnings contrast high poverty and hunger levels.
The protesters have also been inspired by other young people in Kenya who held rallies last month to kick against a planned tax hike. Both protests have also featured grievances against governments accused of not meeting the expectations that catapulted them to power.
One of the protesters told the media that “the question of dialogue has been raised,” but the government is forgetting that “these protest in itself is a dialogue with the mass of the working people.”
Following the deadly protests, Tinubu called for an end to violence in several states since the protests started, saying he was always open for dialogue.
“My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens,” he said in a televised broadcast.
Nigerians have been mobilising online to organise protests against economic hardship and bad governance and have called for a cut in petrol prices and electricity tariffs, among several demands.
Tinubu, in office since May 2023, defended his economic reforms, which have included a partial end to petrol and electricity subsidies and devaluation of the naira, as necessary to reverse years of economic mismanagement.
His government revenues had more than doubled to 9.1 trillion naira ($5.65 billion) in the first half of this year while 68% of revenue now went to debt servicing, down from 97% before he took office in May last year.
The government was also ramping up spending on infrastructure projects, started a loan scheme for university students and was building thousands of housing units across Nigeria’s 36 states, the president said.
“But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart,” said Tinubu.
