Audio By Carbonatix
Nigeria's main trade unions have announced an indefinite strike and mass demonstrations from Monday unless the removal of a fuel subsidy is reversed.
The withdrawal has led petrol prices to more than double since Monday, prompting anger countrywide.
"We have the total backing of all Nigerian workers on this strike and mass protest," the Nigeria Labour Congress's Chris Uyot told the BBC.
Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer, but imports refined petrol.
Both the NLC and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) have agreed to the strike.
NLC spokesman Mr Uyot told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme there was no room for dialogue with the government, which has said it will spend the money saved by removing the subsidy on improving the country's erratic electricity supply, as well as health and education.
Prices have increased from 65 naira ($0.40; £0.26) per litre to at least 140 naira in filling stations and from 100 naira to at least 200 on the black market, where many Nigerians buy their fuel.
"After exhaustive deliberations and consultations with all sections of the populace, the NLC, TUC and their pro-people allies demand that the presidency immediately reverses fuel prices to 65 naira," AFP news agency quotes a statement signed by the heads of the two unions.
There has been a furious reaction this week to the fuel price increase - one protester was killed on Tuesday in Irolin state and thousands of Nigerians have demonstrated in cities across the country.
Nigeria's Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido told the BBC the subsidy - which he said cost the government about $8bn (£5.1bn) last year - was "unsustainable".
"Subsides should be for production and not consumption," he told Focus on Africa.
In December, the government released a list of the people who benefit most from the subsidy, which include some of Nigeria's richest people - the owners of fuel-importing firms.
Years of mismanagement and corruption mean Nigeria does not have the capacity to refine oil into petrol and other fuels.
Several previous governments have tried to remove the subsidy but have backed down in the face of widespread public protests and reduced it instead.
The IMF has long urged Nigeria's government to remove the subsidy.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
rCOMSDEP engages Northern Regional Minister on small-scale miners registration drive
4 minutes -
Ghana Armwrestling Federation secures Next Level Energy Drink partnership for 15th African Championship
10 minutes -
Driver remanded for allegedly defiling girl, 12
18 minutes -
BoG 2025 Financial Statements: The figures will soon judge the voyage
20 minutes -
Gender Minister engages Queen Mothers to deepen push for gender parity, inclusive development
22 minutes -
Gender Minister engages amputees, pledges stronger push for disability inclusion
26 minutes -
Winneba Prisons supports Aboakyer Festival with donation to Effutu Traditional Council
39 minutes -
Media Convergence Conference opens in Accra with call to rethink traditional journalism in digital era
44 minutes -
ECG assures power outages are temporary as grid stabilisation works continue
44 minutes -
Ghana develops national child labour indicators
46 minutes -
NIA targets 3.1 million children as Ghana Card registration for ages 6–14 resumes May 5
47 minutes -
From Tema to Chirano, via Oman: A quiet architect of Ghana’s power generation retires
47 minutes -
SHEA 2026: Value addition key to shea industry growth – Prof Opoku-Agyemang
54 minutes -
Assin North Blue Water Guard team appeals for logistics to combat galamsey
58 minutes -
Trump warns Iran ‘better get smart soon’, weighs military options over Strait of Hormuz
1 hour