UPDATE 1-Nigerian umbrella trade union suspends nationwide strike

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ABUJA, Sept 30 (Reuters) – A Nigerian umbrella trade union suspended a nationwide strike on its fourth day on Sunday, after the government agreed to hold a meeting to discuss increasing the minimum wage, a union official said.

“The general strike has been suspended, not called off,” said Chris Uyot, deputy secretary general of the Nigerian Labour Congress. A meeting with the government will be held on Oct. 5-6, he added.

The strike began on Thursday after talks between President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and unions had broken down.

Unions want the monthly minimum wage raised to about 50,000 naira ($164) from 18,000 naira.

Buhari had vowed to review the wage after a fuel price hike and currency devaluation in the last two years. Those were aimed at countering the effects of a global oil price plunge on Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude producer.

Evidence suggested patchy adherence to the strike, and its impact on the economy has been difficult to calculate. (Reporting by Tife Owolabi and Camillus Eboh Writing by Paul Carsten Editing by Peter Graff)

Article Courtesy of CNBC