COVID-19 and Job Loss: Implications for Peace and Security in Nigeria

Abstract

Job insecurity and abrupt massive retrenchment of employees in virtually all sectors of Nigerian economy in the wake of coronavirus pandemic has plunged the nations into a breeding ground for youths crisis and overal insecurity of lives and properties. As these threaten the peace and security of the land leading to dwindling fortune of Nigerian economy, it therefore calls for concerns among peace and conflict management experts to prover lasting solution to these menaces. Hence, this paper is aimed at examining the effects of the novel COVID-19 pandemic on job losses as it affects the peace and security of Nigeria. Secondary method of data collection was used, in which reports, journals and internet based articles were reviewed and content analyzed. The paper reviewed both the natural origin theory and conspiracy theory of Coronavirus. Based on the literature reviewed, the paper revealed that the flare of the novel coronavirus in Nigeria has posed a serious threat to overal peace and security in the wake of  lockdown and closure of businesses which by implication has forced numerous employees of about 42 per cent to loose their jobs in various sectors of Nigerian economy, and nearly 40 million Nigerians were projected to lose their jobs by the end of the year 2020-2021, arising from the fall in demand for and supply of goods and services, due to lockdowns, restriction of movement and social distancing measures among others were put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. The paper also revealed that there was a ban on social and religious gatherings, social distancing, wearing of  nose masks, lockdown and imposition of curfews, travel bans, stay at home policy among others, as measures to stop or reduce the spread of COVID -19 in Nigeria. To cushion the effects of coronavirus on the economy of Nigeria, government provided both monentary and fiscal palliative measures for the most vulnerables, though the stimulus packages were commendable but ineffective for lack of appropriate parameters for its implementation. Arising from the above, it was recommended that for peace to rein, employees should avoid putting all eggs in one basket, and for unforeseen contingency such as this novel pandemic, employees should have extra source of income by going into side businesses like blogging, rentals, online advertisement, investment in stocks with high returns, writing e-books, investment in real estate, small-scale poultry or fish farming among others.

Keywords: COVID-19, Job Losses, Peace, Security, Nigeria

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-5-03

Publication date:March 31^st 2022