Nigeria's labour unions to strike indefinitely over rising cost of living

The move has caused a sharp rise in the cost of food, transport and power as most businesses and households rely on petrol generators for electricity. The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Nigeria, the biggest unions, said they would begin their indefinite strike on Oct. 3. until government meets the demand of Nigerian workers, and in fact Nigerian masses," the union leaders said in a joint statement.

Nigeria's main workers' unions plan to start an indefinite strike next week to protest against a cost-of-living crisis after the government scrapped a popular but costly petrol subsidy, union leaders said on Tuesday.

President Bola Tinubu in May scrapped a decades-old subsidy that had kept fuel prices low but was draining government finances. The move has caused a sharp rise in the cost of food, transport and power as most businesses and households rely on petrol generators for electricity.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Nigeria, the biggest unions, said they would begin their indefinite strike on Oct. 3. "It's going to be a total shutdown ... until government meets the demand of Nigerian workers, and in fact Nigerian masses," the union leaders said in a joint statement.