Inside Story

What’s the root cause of Nigeria’s economic crisis?

A general strike demanding higher wages brings Nigeria to a standstill.

Nigeria has Africa’s largest population and it’s one of the world’s top oil producers.

Yet the nation of more than 200 million people has struggled with corruption, economic mismanagement and a weak currency.

A general strike this week is drawing attention to these challenges.

Union leaders want a higher minimum wage and blame recent reforms by President Bola Tinubu for worsening the situation.

But can a general strike that’s shut down the national electric grid and several airports force the government to change course on this issue?

Presenter: Cyril Vanier

Guests:

Khalil Halilu – Chief executive officer of Nigeria’s National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure

Amaka Anku – Head of the Africa practice of the Eurasia Group

Hamzat Lawal – Anti-corruption activist and founder of Connected Development, a civil society organisation