Amnesty International has expressed deep concern over the escalating inflation crisis in Nigeria, asserting that citizens are grappling with one of the most severe post-independence economic challenges under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
In a series of tweets on Friday, the human rights organisation lamented the drastic increase in the cost of living, citing its debilitating impact on millions of Nigerians struggling to afford necessities such as education, food, and healthcare.
“Nigeria’s sky-high inflation has sharply increased the cost of living. Millions of people are increasingly unable to meet the costs of education, food and healthcare.
“This is one of the worst economic crises in the country’s post-independence,” Amnesty International stated.
The organisation called upon President Tinubu and governors across the 36 states to urgently address the widespread hunger and poverty that significantly threaten citizens’ rights to education and health.
“The Nigerian authorities must urgently prioritise addressing widespread hunger, higher unemployment and the rapidly falling standard of living. The rights to education, health and adequate standard of living are all affected, forcing millions of people to live hand to mouth,” Amnesty emphasised.
Amnesty International’s alarm comes on the heels of public protests in Niger and Kano, where citizens took to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the soaring cost of food.
Responding to the outcry, President Tinubu directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to release approximately 42,000 metric tonnes of grains, including maise, millet, and garri.
