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Shops, offices and filling stations began reopening across Nigeria on Tuesday as the Nigerian Labour Congress called off a week-long strike after reaching agreement with government to scale down a 50-percent fuel-price hike decreed last week, according to news reports.
The pump price of gasolene dipped from 30 naira to 22 naira per litre and diesel from 29 to 21 naira. Kerosene was reduced from 27 naira to its pre-hike price of 17 naira per litre.
Labour called the nationwide strike against the price increase on 6 June, saying the hike hurt most Nigerians. In May, the government increased the minimum monthly wage to 7,500 naira (US $75) for public servants and to 5,000 naira ($50) for workers in the public sector but this failed to pacify labour.
The agreement with government calls for a negotiating committee of representatives of various interest groups and the government to review all aspects of the petroleum products supply and distribution sector. The government also agreed not to punish participants in the strike, which shut down government offices and businesses and forced the cancellation of domestic and international flights.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions