As the West African nation celebrates its 64th anniversary of independence, Nigerians staged mass protests on Tuesday over economic hardship and the president appealed for patience.
Waving placards, demonstrators demanded better opportunities and jobs for young people, especially in a country that is one of the continent’s largest oil producers but has some of the highest levels of poverty and hunger in the world.
It is the second major attack in Africa’s most populous country in two months, as woes caused by government reforms to save more money and shore up dwindling foreign investment worsen. It’s a protest. At the last protest in August, at least 20 protesters were shot dead and hundreds arrested.
The government has defended its economic policies, but their immediate effects have helped push inflation to a 28-year high and the currency has languished at record lows against the dollar.
At least 63% of the population is poor. The government is struggling to create jobs. And the battle against the world’s longest-running armed group continues to unfold in the northeast.
“The truth is, there is nothing worth celebrating about Nigeria,” said Adetayo Babatunde Daniel, a young entrepreneur who took part in the protest.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who was elected last May on the promise of new hope, defended the reforms as necessary steps to make progress to prevent the country’s economic “collapse”.
Additional sources • AP
