Nigeria is a giant on the African continent, a maturing democracy and a major hub for culture and trade. It also contains about one sixth of Africa’s population, many of whom live in abject poverty. So when the government decided to “save” funds by removing a critical fuel subsidy, it lit a tinderbox of populist outrage.

Uprisings have been rocking the country all week. Tens of thousands of protesters amassed to express anger at a jump in oil prices. Labor activists launched a general strike. Oil workers have also threatened to shut down production, jolting global oil markets.

If you think about it, the megacity of Lagos, Nigeria, almost devoid of public services for the poor, is the perfect place for the Occupy movement to spread. This protests began after the government removed fuel subsidies on the first of the year. But it probably has more to do with the desperation of the poor in Nigeria, where most of the country lives on less than $2 a day.