Nepal’s Political Unrest: A Warning Sign to Nigeria

Nepal, a small Himalayan nation nestled between India and China, has become an unexpected symbol of political turbulence in South Asia. In recent months, mounting hunger, insecurity, failing healthcare, and corruption have pushed citizens to the brink, sparking widespread protests that rattled the administration of President Ram Chandra Paudel, who assumed office in March 2023.

Although Paudel remains in power, the intensity of the demonstrations—driven largely by young people the Gen Z generation —has forced global observers to reflect on the deeper message emerging from Nepal to nations  round the world where governance have failed to address citizens’ needs, and public patience runs out. For Nigeria, where similar socio-economic grievances fester, Nepal’s crisis indeed serve as a mirror and a warning.

A Cry from the Streets of Kathmandu

In Nepal, discontent has been building for years, but recent protests marked a turning point. Citizens, particularly the Gen Z generation, mobilized against what they saw as a government that had failed to deliver.

“The protests in Nepal were less about one leader and more about a system that has consistently failed the people,” said Dr. Anita Sharma, a Kathmandu-based political analyst. “Young people in particular felt betrayed by corruption and poor governance. Their anger became the tipping point.”

Civil society organizations in their  commentaries echoed the same view. Rajendra Gurung, a member of Nepal’s Civic Forum for Democracy, remarked: “The government underestimated the resilience of ordinary citizens. Hunger and insecurity left people with nothing more to lose, and that is when protests become unstoppable.”

International observers have also taken notice. A recent Human Rights Watch assessment described the Nepal unrest as “a warning to governments across South Asia in  particular and the world in general that corruption and neglect of citizens’ welfare carry heavy political costs.”

Parallels with Nigeria

The images from Kathmandu bear striking similarities to conditions in Nigeria, where millions are struggling under worsening economic and security pressures. Just as Nepalese citizens decried hunger, insecurity, and corruption, as what triggered their unrest, Nigerians face these same realities daily.

Hunger: Inflation has made staple foods unaffordable for many households, pushing millions into food insecurity, while calls for states to declare agric revolution are still kept in view (KIV)

Insecurity: Terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, and communal clashes continue to plague communities across the country unabbatted.

Collapse of services: Public hospitals and schools are deteriorating, leaving the poor with few options.

Leadership crisis: Corruption and impunity dominate the political class, widening the gap between the rulers and the ruled.

“These are the same triggers we saw before the EndSARS protests in  October 8, 2020,” noted Dr. Henry Okoye, a Nigerian governance expert. “You cannot have a hungry, insecure, and unemployed youth population and expect silence forever. Nepal is simply a mirror of what could happen here in Nigeria if leaders continue to ignore warning signs.”

For Nigeria’s younger generation, the frustrations are palpable. Blessing Adebayo, a youth activist in Lagos, put it bluntly: “Our leaders should not think Nigerians are too docile. If hunger continues and insecurity worsens, the streets will erupt again. Nepal is a proof that young people are no longer willing to watch in silence.”

Lessons from Nepal

Political analysts argue that Nepal’s experience is not an isolated case but part of a broader global pattern. Citizens are increasingly challenging governments that fail to deliver basic governance, transparency, and justice.

“The key lesson from Nepal is that governance cannot survive indefinitely on propaganda,” explained Prof. Michael Adeyemi, an international relations scholar at the University of Ibadan. “Sooner or later, the reality of people’s suffering catches up with those in power. And when it does, change comes suddenly and often violently.”

The role of young people is particularly significant. In Nepal, the Gen Z emerged as the backbone of the protests, organizing online and mobilizing on the streets. In Nigeria, the 2020 EndSARS movement revealed the potential of youth-driven protest movements to challenge the status quo. Observers warn that conditions in Nigeria are now even more combustible than they were three years ago.

“EndSARS was only a spark,” said Amina Yusuf, coordinator of the Coalition for Democratic Accountability. “If the government does not address hunger, insecurity, and corruption, the next wave could be far more disruptive. Nepal should remind us that silence today can erupt into a revolution tomorrow.”

A Shared Global Message

What happened in Nepal underscores a universal truth: when constructive reforms are denied, destructive revolts often emerge. Governments that refuse to evolve risk being swept aside by the very people they govern.

For Nigeria, the warning is clear. Bad governance has pushed the nation to a critical point. The widening gap between leaders and citizens cannot be sustained indefinitely without consequence.

“Leadership is about service, not self-enrichment,” Dr. Okoye emphasized. “When leaders forget that, they plant the seeds of their own downfall. Nepal shows that people can and will reclaim their voice when pushed too far.”

Conclusion: Nigeria at the Crossroads

Nepal’s political unrest is not just a local crisis—it is a message to nations grappling with corruption and misrule. For Nigeria, the parallels are too close to ignore. Hunger, insecurity, and poor governance are eroding public patience, particularly among young people who make up the majority of the population.

“Nigeria have an opportunity to avoid a similar explosion,” said Yusuf. “But that will require urgent reforms in food security, job creation, healthcare, and transparent anti-corruption crusades.If these  germane advice is ignored, the consequences could mirror, or even surpass, what we saw in Nepal.”

While Nepal and Nigeria differ in geography and history, both demonstrate that no system built on corruption and disregard for citizens can endure indefinitely. The choice before Nigeria’s leaders is stark: embrace reforms now or risk being overtaken by a crisis of your own making. Aso- Rock must remember, that the Gen Z generation is watching. Like l pointed out in one of my discourse,if President Ram Chandra Paudel knew what was coming he would have acted differently but wrongly he underestimated the power of the pedergogy of the oppressed. Here in Nigeria let the lesson sink into our leadership before they cought napping.A stitch on time saves nine.

 Wilson Macaulay, is a Journalist & Public Affairs Commentator, based in Warri, Delta State