The International Monetary Fund says Nigeria’s #EndSARS protest was triggered by the pains of economic hardship.

The African Department of International Monetary Fund, made the disclosure during a monitored Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Economic Outlook.

“Where you have these kinds of economic difficulties, you know, social protests are not uncommon,” Abebe Amero Selassie, the Director of the African Department of IMF said.

Nigeria has faced huge revenue challenges with unemployment rate rising to 27.1 per cent in 2020.

The African regional department of the IMF said the country’s ongoing #EndARS protest is linked to both police brutality and the increasing hardship on the country.

The regional IMF chief said, “It is critical for the nation to get policy-induced barriers out of the way to facilitate stronger economic growth.

“The government needs to do more to raise revenues through the area of non-oil resources to be able to invest in health education.”

The IMF boss said removing government policy barriers would create jobs and also improve the country’s economic potentials.

The protest on police brutality comes after series of demands on the Federal Government to reverse the increase in fuel and electricity prices and also reject the privatization and deregulation policies.

The reform was a prerequisite for both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund loans.

Organised labour in the country believes that the hike in electricity tarrif and increased fuel price was untimely.

Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Labor Congress sad, “We are surprised that at a time other countries across the world are giving palliatives to their citizens to cushion the effect of COVID-19, Nigerians are asked to pay more for fuel and electricity.”