How are we doing it in Africa? Have we become so accustomed to bad governance, economic hardship and deteriorating living conditions that we no longer know how to demand accountability?
Across parts of Europe, citizens are increasingly taking to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with rising living costs, unaffordable housing, poor public services, low wages and the general conditions affecting their quality of life.
Recent demonstrations across countries including France, Belgium, Italy and Portugal have attracted thousands of protesters, with wider youth-led movements also spreading across Europe. The message from many of these demonstrators is clear: citizens expect their governments to listen, respond and take responsibility for the conditions under which people live.
Interestingly, these are countries that many Africans, particularly Nigerians, regard as destinations for greener pastures. Millions dream of relocating to Europe in search of better opportunities, improved living standards, decent wages, affordable public services and a more secure future.
Yet, even in these countries, where social infrastructure and economic opportunities are generally more developed, citizens are unwilling to remain silent when economic conditions threaten their livelihoods.
So, the question becomes: What exactly is happening to us in Africa?
Are we so accustomed to hardship that we have gradually accepted suffering as a normal part of existence?
Nigeria provides a particularly striking example. For years, Nigerians have grappled with poor governance, rising living costs, declining purchasing power, inadequate public infrastructure, unemployment, insecurity and an increasingly difficult standard of living.
The situation has placed enormous pressure on ordinary households. The cost of food, transportation, accommodation, electricity, healthcare and education continues to challenge the ability of many families to meet basic needs.
The scale of the problem is reflected in international data. The United Nations Development Programme's 2026 Multidimensional Poverty Index report estimates that 38.7 per cent of Nigerians, representing approximately 90.1 million people, were living in multidimensional poverty in 2024. This was an increase from 33 per cent in 2021, indicating that millions more people experienced overlapping deprivations in essential areas of life.
The International Monetary Fund also reported in its June 2026 assessment that poverty had reached an estimated 63 per cent under Nigeria's national poverty measure, while approximately 27 million Nigerians faced food insecurity in the autumn of 2025.
These figures are not merely economic statistics. Behind them are families struggling to survive, parents unable to comfortably provide for their children, young people without meaningful employment and households forced to make painful choices between essential needs.
Yet, despite the enormous pressure, the level of sustained nationwide public mobilisation over these conditions remains a subject worth examining.
Why does it appear that we have developed an extraordinary capacity to endure what citizens elsewhere are actively challenging?
Is it fear of government repression, political divisions, ethnic and religious sentiments, economic vulnerability, lack of trust in leadership, or the absence of a sufficiently organised platform for collective action?
Perhaps it is a combination of these factors.
It is important to recognise that peaceful protest is a legitimate democratic instrument. It is not necessarily an act of hostility against government, nor should it be confused with the destruction of public property. It is a way for citizens to communicate dissatisfaction, demand transparency and insist that elected leaders remain accountable.
Of course, Europe is not without its own economic problems, and protests alone do not automatically produce solutions. But the willingness of citizens to publicly question policies and demand improvements demonstrates the importance of civic participation.
Nigeria's challenge should therefore go beyond comparing our suffering with that of Europeans. We must also examine our relationship with accountability, political responsibility and collective civic engagement.
When did enduring hardship become a substitute for demanding better governance?
A country cannot achieve its full potential when millions of its citizens are struggling to meet basic needs while public accountability and effective service delivery remain constant subjects of concern.
Perhaps the bigger question is not why Europeans are protesting despite living in relatively developed societies, but why Nigerians have seemingly become so accustomed to conditions that should continuously demand serious public attention.
We cannot keep dreaming of greener pastures abroad while refusing to ask why the conditions at home must remain so difficult.
Good governance, affordable living conditions, functional public services and economic opportunities should not be privileges reserved for people who manage to relocate abroad. They are legitimate expectations of every Nigerian citizen.
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