HURIWA Seeks Economic Emergency as Cost-of-Living Crisis Deepens

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the Federal Government and state governments to declare an economic emergency in response to the worsening cost-of-living crisis, warning that millions of households are struggling to cope with mounting economic pressures.

The rights group said rising prices of food, fuel, electricity, transportation and other basic necessities have placed severe strain on family incomes, leaving many Nigerians unable to meet their daily needs.

In a statement issued on Friday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA argued that the scale of hardship across the country now requires urgent and extraordinary measures rather than routine policy responses.

According to the organisation, inflationary pressures have continued to erode the purchasing power of citizens, while unemployment and underemployment remain major concerns, especially among young people.

“The cost-of-living crisis is worsening daily, and millions of Nigerian families are being pushed to the edge of survival. This situation demands urgent and coordinated action from government at all levels,” Onwubiko said.

The group expressed concern that wages have failed to keep pace with the rising cost of goods and services, leaving many workers and small business owners grappling with declining living standards.

HURIWA also criticised what it described as the limited impact of government institutions established to address poverty and social welfare, insisting that current interventions have fallen short of the magnitude of the economic challenges confronting citizens.

The association linked the growing food crisis partly to insecurity in farming communities, noting that persistent attacks in rural areas have disrupted agricultural activities and reduced food production.

It observed that many farmers are unable to access their farmlands due to threats from criminal elements, a development it said has contributed significantly to food shortages and rising market prices.

The group warned that the combined effects of inflation, unemployment, insecurity and weak policy coordination could worsen poverty and social instability if urgent steps are not taken.

It called on governments at all levels to implement emergency measures aimed at stabilising prices, expanding social safety nets, improving security in farming communities and boosting agricultural productivity.

HURIWA maintained that a coordinated national response was necessary to prevent further deterioration in living conditions and restore confidence among citizens.

“The suffering of Nigerians has reached a critical point. Government must act decisively and treat this as an economic emergency before the situation worsens further,” Onwubiko added.

The group stressed that an emergency economic framework would help mobilise resources, strengthen social protection programmes and address the challenges of inflation, unemployment and food insecurity currently affecting millions of Nigerians.