Nigerian labor unions suspend nationwide strike for 1 week

ABUJA, Nigeria (AA) - Labor unions in Nigeria said they suspended a nationwide workers' strike Tuesday to allow the government to respond to their demand for better wages.

"Strike action relaxed for one week to allow the conclusion of negotiation," the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) wrote on X.

Festus Osifo, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), told journalists in the national capital of Abuja, that the joint National Executive of the NLC and the TUC approved the suspension "with immediate effect.”

He said the decision was made to allow labor unions to continue talks with the government.

The NLC said earlier that Nigerian President Bola Tinubu showed a commitment to pay a national minimum wage that was "higher than N60,000 ($40),” during a meeting with the government negotiating team.

Workers started a national strike Monday to demand better pay and a reduction of electricity tariffs. The strike has paralyzed economic and social activities in Nigeria.

Public transport, ports, hospitals, government offices, markets, banks and academic institutions were shut down through late Tuesday.

Power supply has been cut off since Monday due to the shutdown of electricity generating facilities across the country by that sector’s labor union, the national electricity transmission company announced.

It is the second major strike in the country since Tinubu assumed office last May as the head of Africa's leading economy.

A nationwide strike was declared in November by labor unions but was suspended after the government agreed to set up a tripartite committee to review minimum wage demands for workers.