Rising cost of living may lead to unrests in Nigeria, 3 others — AfDB

African Development Bank, AfDB, has raised an alarm that rising prices of fuel and other commodities could lead to social unrest in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Angola and Kenya.

The AfDB sounded the warning in its macroeconomic performance and outlook for 2024 in which it projected Africa’s economy to grow higher than the 3.2 per cent recorded in 2023.

While projecting that growth on the continent would rebound to 3.8% in 2024, the bank, however, cautioned that an increase in fuel and commodity prices occasioned by currency depreciation or subsidy removal in Nigeria, Angola, Kenya and Ethiopia could trigger internal conflicts.

It stated: “Internal conflicts and violence could also result from rising prices for fuel and other commodities due to weaker domestic currencies and reforms.

“For instance, the removal of fuel subsidies in Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria and the resulting social costs has led to social unrest driven by opposition to government policy.”

AfDB also said the rise of geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, in addition to the El Nino phenomenon, might trigger supply chain disruptions, which could aggravate energy and food inflation across the world with Africa more vulnerable to these shocks.

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Rising cost of living has become something to worry about in Nigeria with some Nigerians hitting the streets on some states in recent times in protest.

The cost of living crisis is blamed on the Federal Government’s policies of the petrol subsidy removal and floating of the naira.

The protest over increasing hardship started in Minna, Niger State on February 5, with many other states holding similar protests after.

Some prominent personalities have started speaking up and warning that if the current situation is not quickly nipped in the bud, things could deteriorate.

From left: Adewale Ajayi, Partner, Tax, Regulatory & People Services, KPMG; Toluwalogo Odutayo, Partner, Deloitte & Touche; Simon Kato, Deputy Vice President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN); Zaynab Abdulkareem, Chairman, CITN, Lagos and District Society; Jimi Aina, representative of the Chairman, Lagos Inland Revenue Service and Azeez Alatoye, Managing Partner of Ascension during the Annual Tax Week 2024 of the Lagos & District Society of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) held in Lagos.