COVID-19 Pandemic, policy-intensified Economic Crisis and Declining State Control in Nigeria

COVID-19 pandemic has undermined the functionality of formal and informal economies globally, with developing countries suffering the social, political and economic effects of the pandemic. Economic downturns in the global south, including Nigeria, have given rise to declining state control in the f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Democracy and security 2023-01, Vol.19 (1), p.58-81
Main Authors: Ardo, Isa M., Lenshie, Nsemba Edward, Amuchie, Austine A., Ezeibe, Christian, Udeogu, Celestine, Nneka, Okafor
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
COVID-19 pandemic
declining state control
Developing countries
Discontent
Economic crisis
Households
Housing authorities
Informal economy
Insecurity
LDCs
Low income groups
Neoliberalism
Pandemics
Political economy
poor households
Qualitative research
Security
Social protection
social vices
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Summary:COVID-19 pandemic has undermined the functionality of formal and informal economies globally, with developing countries suffering the social, political and economic effects of the pandemic. Economic downturns in the global south, including Nigeria, have given rise to declining state control in the face of human insecurity. This study, hinging on the neoliberal political economy thesis, examines the economic crisis and declining state control the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown engendered in managing the security situation in Nigeria. The study, utilizing the dominant qualitative methods, comprising interviews, focus group discussions, and documented evidence, highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown disproportionately affected the people, mainly poor people, households and communities in different parts of the country. The failure of the government to engage in an effective social protection policy generated discontent and led to criminal activities undermining security in Nigeria. The study concludes that the insecurity and economic crisis the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown engendered have weakened the state's authority in Nigeria. The study suggests that engaging effective social protection policy presents an opportunity for mitigating security challenges to bring about socioeconomic stability in Nigeria.
ISSN:1741-9166
1555-5860
DOI:10.1080/17419166.2022.2097073