Goodluck Jonathan backs down on Nigeria’s fuel subsidies

Trade unions in Nigeria called off a nationwide six-day strike on 16 January after the country's president Goodluck Jonathan backed down by partially-restoring the government-sponsored petrol subsidies, which it had cancelled in a surprise move on 1 January.

The government promised the estimated $8 billion saved a year would be invested in urgently-needed road and public infrastructure projects.

The strike began after fuel prices more than doubled to about N140 per litre. The new price now agreed by the president of N97 a litre is still higher than the previous subsidised price of N65 a litre.

Before the unions called off the strike, the president deployed soldiers in the country's principal cities and on the major highways around Lagos and the northern city of Kano.

The crisis began on 5 January after police broke up a peaceful demonstration in Kano. The violence spread around the country resulting in at least ten casualties and over 600 injuries.