Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu said he is "not afraid" of nationwide cost-of-living protests planned for next week amid economic hardships said to be the worst in nearly three decades.
Nigeria is grappling with 34.2% inflation after President Tinubu last year cut a popular petrol subsidy and sharply devalued the naira.
Frustrated citizens have taken to social media to mobilise protests from August 1 against bad governance and economic hardship. Authorities fear the protests will turn violent.
"We are not afraid of protests. Our concern is the ordinary people and the damages that will be done," he said on Thursday following a meeting with traditional leaders at his official residence.
#EndBadGovernance
Nigeria's last round of protests was three years ago against a police unit accused of extra-judicial killings. They were met with a violent crackdown by the police and dozens of protesters were killed.
The protests due on August 1 are dubbed "End Bad Governance in Nigeria."
Those behind them want the government to offer free education, end insecurity, declare a state of emergency on inflation and disclose lawmakers' pay, among several demands.
But Tinubu insists that the economy was on the path of recovery.
'End of tunnel'
"I assure you, Nigerians, we are looking at the light at the end of the tunnel. I can assure you the economy will be revived," he said.
Nigeria's largest labour union, which last week agreed a new minimum wage with the government, urged Tinubu to me et with leaders of the protest movement to dialogue on their demands.
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