Nigeria’s twin battles: Rising insecurity deepens economic pains for citizens

Nigeria is fighting a war on two fronts. One is loud, violent and urgent- the battle against insurgents, bandits, and terror cells that continue to destabilise communities mostly in the north. The other is quieter but no less destructive, the battle to deliver basic governance, stabilise the economy, and relieve citizens from the crushing weight of rising living costs. Caught in the middle are millions of Nigerians who must navigate both fear and hardship at the same time.

The past few months have brought a resurgence of violent attacks that have once again shaken the country’s fragile sense of security. From mass kidnappings of schoolchildren to the attacks of religious centres, the renewed wave of violence has triggered alarm well beyond Nigeria’s borders, drawing pointed attention from Washington. For many Nigerians, however, the global concern does little to lessen the anxieties of daily life, anxieties that begin with safety but quickly spiral into the cost of simply staying alive.

Fear in the air, pressure on the wallet

Amid the rising tempo of violent attacks, Nigerians continue to wrestle with an economic crisis that refuses to ease its grip. Inflation, long the shadow that trails every shopping trip, transport ride, or rent negotiation, remains a stubborn companion. Citizens have begun to adapt, adjusting consumption habits, switching to cheaper goods, embracing smaller portions, or altogether eliminating what used to be basic necessities.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that inflation has decelerated for seven consecutive months. Prices of some staples have even fallen and stabilised. But for many households, that statistical relief is almost impossible to recognise. As the Yuletide approaches, the realities on the streets tell a different story, one of continuous belt-tightening in the face of rising rent, transportation costs, school fees, fuel expenses, and medical bills.

“Even if garri is cheaper, how do you get to work? How do you pay your landlord? What about school fees? Everything else keeps going up,” Samuel Adewale, a middle-aged Lagos-based worker, said.

The renewed involvement of US President Donald Trump in Nigeria’s security situation has visibly shifted the federal government’s priorities. High-level discussions, diplomatic pressure, and intensified scrutiny from Washington appear to have jolted Abuja into a more aggressive stance against criminal groups.

In recent weeks, the government has implemented measures that signal a tougher security posture: withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs to bolster operational strength; revived conversations on establishing state police; and plans to recruit more security personnel.

These moves have been welcomed by many Nigerians who believe the state is finally treating insecurity as an existential threat. But with attention and resources flowing into security, some Nigerians warn that the economic front, already fragile, risks receiving less focus at a moment when citizens desperately need relief.

The World Bank estimates that 139 million Nigerians live in poverty, a figure that suggests the country cannot afford a governance vacuum in economic management. Poverty does not simply persist; it spreads, deepens, and becomes generational without deliberate intervention.

Economic experts argue that insecurity and poverty now reinforce each other in a destructive loop. Insecurity disrupts markets, inflates transport costs, keeps farmers out of their fields, pushes businesses out of communities, and shrinks job opportunities. Poverty, in turn, fuels recruitment into criminal networks and erodes public trust in government.

From Lagos to Kaduna and to Benue, the consequences are visible: food prices that fluctuate unpredictably, transport fares that absorb half of monthly salaries, landlords raising rents in response to market volatility, and families retreating further into distress.

Nigeria’s challenge is no longer simply to defeat terrorists or reduce inflation, it is to do both at the same time without allowing one priority to overshadow the other. Citizens want security, but they also want food they can afford, transport that does not drain their income, jobs that offer dignity, and homes that do not consume half their salaries.

As the festive season draws nearer, the hope across the country is not just for peace, but for a form of governance that can wage, and win, the twin wars of security and economic survival.