In Nigeria’s bustling informal economy, payments rarely come with clarity, receipts, or even definitions. Across markets and transport hubs, traders and workers navigate a complex web of compulsory levies that are collected routinely but scarcely explained.

Hunger Protest Grounds Abuja Banks, Markets A nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship triggered by recent government reforms brought parts of the nation’s capital to a standstill on Thursday, August 1. The protest, which had been earlier announced, led to the closure of banks, filling...