SBM Intelligence, an Africa-focused market and security intelligence firm, has issued a stark warning to the Nigerian federal government, urging immediate action to address the protesters’ demands. Their latest report, titled “An August Nightmare: Assessing The Early Days of The #EndBadGovernanceProtestInNigeria,” highlights several critical concerns.
The firm cautions that the government’s current high-risk strategy may inadvertently validate extreme ideas and exacerbate the situation. SBM Intelligence notes that while heavy security presence and President Bola Tinubu’s recent speech aimed to quell the protests, the address failed to tackle the core issues raised by demonstrators.
Former Education Minister Obiageli Ezekwesili criticized the President’s speech, calling it a missed opportunity to provide concrete solutions and address the protesters’ grievances. SBM Intelligence echoes this sentiment, arguing that President Tinubu’s speech focused on labeling the protests as politically motivated rather than addressing the substantive issues of bad governance, corruption, and high fuel costs.
The report emphasizes that Nigeria’s ongoing economic crisis, characterized by rising inflation and soaring food prices, has driven citizens to demand effective governance. The removal of the fuel subsidy, while aimed at promoting growth, has intensified public dissatisfaction.
SBM Intelligence warns that without a clear, actionable response from the government, Nigeria could face escalating unrest and deeper divisions, underscoring the urgency of addressing the underlying causes of the protests.
