The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) trade union umbrella on Tuesday morning began its two-day protest against “hunger and insecurity” across the country.
The protest first kicked off in Nigeria’s commercial nerve of Lagos around 09:00 local time (08:00GMT) before other locations followed moments later.
In a letter shared to the public before the protest started, the NLC said they want an end to hunger and insecurity in Nigeria.
“Open all food storage silos and ensure equitable distribution across the country,” one of the demands read.
They also called on the government to abandon World Bank and International Monetary Fund policies which they believe are adding to hardship in Nigeria.
Before the protest, Nigeria’s Finance Minister Wale Edun told the BBC’s Newsday programme that President Bola Tinubu is “listening very carefully and acting in order to meet the needs of Nigerians”.
On Monday, the minister announced the resumption of direct cash transfers to help over 12 million vulnerable households with the spike in living costs.
During his interview with BBC Newsday, Mr Edun asked Nigerians for patience as the government implements economic reforms.
“He [President Tinubu] is putting the country on the path to economic restoration and he is asking for patience and asks for forbearance at this particular time and is doing everything he can to assuage these pains and shorten the period for which they last,” Mr Edun told Newsday.
