Mass protests have hit the West African nation of Nigeria over a series of economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu. The reforms, supported by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, include removal of an opaque oil subsidy and devaluation of the country’s currency and have led to hyper-inflation and a severe cost of living crisis not seen in a generation.
Spontaneous protests broke out late January in several parts of the country as the hardship spread. Inflation hit 30 per cent, with food inflation much higher still under the weight of skyrocketing energy costs, climate change and insecurity. In February, several people died with many others injured during a stampede at a site where bags of rice were being handed out by government officials at less than the market value. Similarly, food trucks and warehouses were looted by hungry mobs in parts of the country including the capital, Abuja.
