The protests over rising cost of living in Africa's most populous country come after the government took some economic reform measures that pushed the prices of food and fuel to unprecedented levels.
By Charles Mgbolu
Nigeria has begun the highly anticipated hardship protests dubbed EndbadGovernanceinNigeria with small crowds gathered in some key cities.
Protesters have gathered in Lagos, Abuja, Edo, Oyo, and Yobe, among other states.
Organisers who have used social media in the days leading up to the protests to call for participation have reported weak internet access, which could impede on calls to join the march.
In Edo State, in south-south Nigeria, rains have dampened the turnout in some locations, but protest matches are going ahead nonetheless.
TRT Afrika has reached out to residents who have shared differing opinions on the protest. in several states.
"This protest is not just about economic overhaul but about survival. If we continue on this path, many will not survive. People will die from starvation," Goodspower Emem, a cloth merchant, tells TRT Afrika from a protest spot in Ikeja, Lagos.
"We were instructed not to come to work today because of the protest, and that we should work from home," Emmanuel Iwe, an IT specialist based in Lagos, tells TRT Afrika.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in a statement, says it has set up free legal support services for protesters and has directed branches across the nation to monitor the protests.
In northern state of Kaduna
