In early September, devastating floods in Nigeria’s Maiduguri region claimed hundreds of lives and displaced nearly half a million people, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region. Heavy rainfall overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems, and the collapse of a dam exacerbated the disaster. Engineers and residents criticized government failures, highlighting inadequate dam maintenance, poor urban planning, and lack of flood mitigation measures. Experts noted that climate change has made extreme weather events more frequent, but poor infrastructure and slow emergency response intensified the impact. The disaster has prompted urgent calls for investment in climate resilience and infrastructure improvements.

Sources: Punch (1), Punch (2), The Africa Report, New York Times

Dozens of people were killed and hundreds injured as security forces violently repressed protests against the soaring cost of living. The demonstrations were sparked by President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies that triggered inflation and surging prices, as inflation rose to a 30-year high of 34 per cent in June. Despite warnings from ruling party members, religious clerics and even opposition leaders, tens of thousands of mostly young protesters took to the streets, even in northern states where socio-economic protests are rare. The violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces led to the authorities imposing 24-hour curfews across several states to quell the protests. Journalists covering the events were also targeted, with several reportedly brutalized by security forces, while reports have also emerged of state-sponsored armed groups attacking protesters.

Sources: Africa Confidential, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, X, The Africa Report, International Federation of Journalists

At least 85 (and perhaps as many as 127) civilians were killed in the village of Tudun Biri, in Kaduna state, on 3 December when an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operated by the Nigerian army mistakenly attacked the village. The Nigerian army was engaged in operations against terrorists in the area, and operators mistook a village gathering to celebrate the Muslim holiday Mawlid for the movements of a terrorist group. This was the worst incident of its kind since 2017. President Bola Tinubu ordered the incident to be investigated, and the Committee on Defence in the House of Representatives has promised to monitor the investigation. Protestors gathered outside the National Assembly on 6 December, demanding accountability.

Sources: The Guardian (1), The Guardian (2), The Guardian (3), Sahara Reporters, Financial Times

Following the national elections held in February, Nigerians voted for the members of Houses of Assembly for the 36 states, and for governors of 28 states on 18 March. Following a number of complaints about the conduct of the national elections made by political parties, the state elections had been delayed by one week as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sought to find solutions. Observers noted that the state elections experienced fewer logistical challenges than the national elections, and the technologies used for voter identification and results tabulation functioned well. Still there were reports of violence and vote buying, particularly in the states of Lagos, Lagos, Rivers, Enugu and Kano. Observers reported that 21 people were killed in election-related violence. Continuing the trend from the national election, turnout was reportedly low and few women were candidates.

Sources: Yiaga Africa, European Union Election Observation Mission, France24, Premium Times, Africa Report