Nigeria is teetering on the edge of a social and economic crisis, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has warned in one of its most explosive statements yet, declaring that the country is now in a “dangerous state of economic emergency” driven by hunger, collapsing wages, and mass unemployment.
The national coordinator of the rights group Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko in a statement issued a direct and urgent warning to President Bola Tinubu, saying the cost-of-living crisis has reached a level where “ordinary survival is no longer guaranteed” for millions of Nigerians.
According to HURIWA, Nigeria has become a pressure cooker of hardship—where inflation has wiped out incomes, food prices have soared beyond reach, and repeated fuel price hikes have turned transportation into a daily burden for citizens.
It described the situation as a “silent national emergency unfolding in real time.”
Across the country, the group said, workers are now trapped in economic distress despite being fully employed. Teachers, health workers, traders, farmers, transporters, and civil servants are all affected by what it called a “collapse of real wages.”
The current minimum wage, it warned, has been “completely defeated by inflation,” leaving millions unable to afford basic necessities.
“People are working every day but sinking deeper into poverty,” HURIWA said. “This is no longer just hardship—it is systemic economic suffocation.”
The group further raised alarm over what it described as rising youth destitution in cities, warning that unemployment and underemployment are producing a growing population of frustrated, idle, and economically excluded young Nigerians.
It cautioned that this trend, if unchecked, could trigger wider social instability.
HURIWA also condemned what it called “policy insensitivity” to current realities, strongly warning against any plans to introduce new or increased taxes. It said such a move would be “economically reckless,” adding that it would push struggling families and small businesses “over the edge.”
The group insisted that instead of imposing new burdens on citizens, the government must act immediately to address the worsening economic situation. It called for the introduction of a real living wage that reflects current prices rather than outdated figures that no longer match today’s cost of living.
It also urged authorities to stabilize fuel prices and end the frequent and unpredictable spikes in transportation costs that continue to strain households and businesses. In addition, the group demanded the urgent launch of a nationwide job creation programme targeted at young people, to address rising unemployment and underemployment.
HURIWA further called for the expansion of food assistance and broader social support systems for vulnerable households, alongside strong and sustained measures to control inflation and restore the purchasing power of citizens. It also stressed the need to protect small businesses, warning that many are on the brink of collapse under mounting economic pressure.
HURIWA warned that Nigeria is now at a “critical breaking point,” where continued inaction could deepen hardship and fuel nationwide frustration.
“This is no longer a debate about economics alone,” the group said. “It is about survival, dignity, and national stability.”
The organization urged government to act immediately, stressing that history would not forgive continued delay in the face of widespread suffering.
“A nation that allows its workers to starve, its youths to rot in unemployment, and its families to collapse under economic pressure cannot stand for long,” it warned.
