As Nigeria celebrated its 64th Independence Day, a protest unfolded at the Ikeja Underbridge in Lagos.
The demonstration, dubbed “National Survival Day,” drew numerous citizens, including former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress.
The gathering brought together diverse protesters united in their call for economic reform, focusing on President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s policies that have exacerbated economic hardships.
Protesters voiced concerns over detrimental economic reforms, citing “multi-dimensional poverty and monumental misery” faced by many Nigerians.
This reflects growing concerns about the widening economic gap and challenges in meeting basic needs.
According to the demonstrators, these policies have pushed a considerable portion of the population into what they describe as “multi-dimensional poverty and monumental misery.”
At the forefront of the protesters’ demands is a call for the reversal of several key economic measures. Chief among these is the controversial removal of fuel subsidies, a policy that has led to an increase in fuel prices and, consequently, a rise in the cost of living for many Nigerians.
Additionally, the protesters expressed their opposition to recent hikes in electricity tariffs, another factor contributing to the financial strain on households across the nation.
The demonstrators are urging the federal government to “reverse anti-people policies, neoliberal policies of privatisation, deregulation and devaluation of Naira.”
