Nigerian authorities hold emergency meeting on planned protests

Nigerians protest against high cost of living and massive suffering following a hike in fuel prices and devaluation of the naira, in Abuja, Nigeria, February 27, 2024. [Reuters]

Nigerian government officials held an emergency meeting Wednesday in response to nationwide protests planned next month over governance issues and the cost of living.

The meeting came a day after President Bola Tinubu made a public appeal through his information minister, Mohammed Idris Malagi, asking citizens not to go through with the protests and urging them to be patient with the government.

More than 40 cabinet members attended the meeting, including the secretary to the government, the national security adviser and ministers.

Malagi told journalists after the meeting that authorities were working hard to address the grievances of the people but that the government would need more time.

"The issue of the planned protest - Mr. President does not see any need for that," Malagi said. "He's asked them to shelve that plan and await government's response to all their pleas, and a lot is happening. The young people out there should allow the president more time to see to the realization of all the goodies he has for them."

The plans for protests follow weeks of demonstrations in Kenya that were sparked by proposed tax hikes and outrage over high-level corruption. The demonstrations resulted in a tax hike bill being withdrawn and Kenyan President William Ruto dissolving his cabinet.

As in Kenya, organizers of the planned Nigerian protests have been faceless, calling for the protests using online platforms like Instagram and X.

In Nigeria, the main complaint concerns the soaring cost of living, which many Nigerians blame on government economic policies.

Tinubu last year scrapped a popular fuel subsidy and sharply devalued the local currency, the naira, causing food and commodity prices to spiral upward.

Nigeria's overall inflation is at its highest level in 28 years - more than 34 percent. Food inflation is much higher.

To make matters worse, widespread insecurity and climate change are affecting the ability of farmers to grow food.

Human rights activist Zariyi Yusuf says the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party has been making empty promises for years.

"What exactly would the government want time for, considering what they have done for the past decade?" Yusuf said. "They thrived primarily on protests, and they got into power from the streets, regardless [of] the flaws in the electoral process. I've never looked at Tinubu separately from the shadow of [former President Muhammadu] Buhari. I deal with them as the APC, and as far as that's concerned, what time could the APC need?"

Earlier this month, authorities suspended taxes on certain food imports, including wheat, in an effort to lower prices.

This week, the National Assembly passed a new national minimum wage into law after months of disputes with workers' unions.

Meanwhile, lawmakers pledged to slash their salaries by half and donate the rest for social intervention projects on food.

Yusuf said the main issues still need attention.

"The key things people are talking about - which is bad governance, which reflects in security, [and] very embarrassing economic policies - should be addressed," he said. "The first step would be to reverse the pump price to where it was."

In October 2020, Nigerian youths led massive protests against police brutality that ended in bloodshed after security forces opened fire on protesters.

On Tuesday, Nigeria's police chief said the police would intervene if the August 1 protests become violent.

Many will be watching to see how authorities respond to demonstrations - and whether the protests can change the policies of Nigeria's government.