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| Strike bites in Nigerian cities | Strike bites in Nigerian cities |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria's main cities are reported to be very quiet on the first day of a general strike called by trade unions. | Nigeria's main cities are reported to be very quiet on the first day of a general strike called by trade unions. |
| Office blocks are empty in central Lagos, with long queues at petrol stations. Schools and offices are shut in the northern city of Kano. | Office blocks are empty in central Lagos, with long queues at petrol stations. Schools and offices are shut in the northern city of Kano. |
| Streets are deserted in the capital, Abuja, with no public transport seen. | Streets are deserted in the capital, Abuja, with no public transport seen. |
| The government offered concessions on fuel and value-added tax rises on Tuesday, but the trade union federation said it was "too little, too late". | |
| Nigeria's Labour Congress also want the government to reverse the sale of oil refineries. | |
| The strike is seen as the first major test for new President Umaru Yar'Adua since he took over last month. | The strike is seen as the first major test for new President Umaru Yar'Adua since he took over last month. |
| The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says that for the strike to really hurt the government, it has to have an impact on the oil industry which provides 90% of its revenues - and that usually takes some time. In the past strikes have not lasted long. | The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says that for the strike to really hurt the government, it has to have an impact on the oil industry which provides 90% of its revenues - and that usually takes some time. In the past strikes have not lasted long. |
| The government has already reached a separate deal with oil and transport unions who went on strike last Friday, leading to fuel shortages. | The government has already reached a separate deal with oil and transport unions who went on strike last Friday, leading to fuel shortages. |
| Bus fares doubled | Bus fares doubled |
| The unions were angry at a series of measures pushed though in the last days of the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, who stepped down last month. | The unions were angry at a series of measures pushed though in the last days of the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, who stepped down last month. |
| The price of petrol was increased from 65 naira (51 US cents) a litre to 75. | The price of petrol was increased from 65 naira (51 US cents) a litre to 75. |
| Those who are in power don't really know how the people feel Taiwo OgunloyeLagos resident 'I will stay at home' | Those who are in power don't really know how the people feel Taiwo OgunloyeLagos resident 'I will stay at home' |
| The government has now reportedly offered to reduce this to 70 naira (55 cents). | The government has now reportedly offered to reduce this to 70 naira (55 cents). |
| Transport fares have doubled in some areas following the fuel price hike. | Transport fares have doubled in some areas following the fuel price hike. |
| The government has also offered to increase civil service salaries by 15% - another union demand. | The government has also offered to increase civil service salaries by 15% - another union demand. |
| Our reporter says that subsidised fuel is one of the very few benefits Nigerians have seen from their oil wealth since the government has failed to provide even basic services. | Our reporter says that subsidised fuel is one of the very few benefits Nigerians have seen from their oil wealth since the government has failed to provide even basic services. |
| This is why the unions are insisting in a complete reversal in the fuel price rise. | This is why the unions are insisting in a complete reversal in the fuel price rise. |
| "Those who are in power don't really know how the people feel," Lagos resident Taiwo Ogunloye told the BBC's Network Africa programme. | "Those who are in power don't really know how the people feel," Lagos resident Taiwo Ogunloye told the BBC's Network Africa programme. |
| He said he would join in the strike and stay at home and watch TV "as long as there is light", he said. | He said he would join in the strike and stay at home and watch TV "as long as there is light", he said. |
| Tough choice | Tough choice |
| Dino Mahthani, West Africa correspondent of the UK's Financial Times, told the BBC that the government was stuck between a rock and a hard place on the refineries. | Dino Mahthani, West Africa correspondent of the UK's Financial Times, told the BBC that the government was stuck between a rock and a hard place on the refineries. |
| The strike could be Umaru Yar'Adua's first real test | The strike could be Umaru Yar'Adua's first real test |
| He says that despite being a major oil producer, it has hardly any refining capacity because the equipment is in such a poor state. | He says that despite being a major oil producer, it has hardly any refining capacity because the equipment is in such a poor state. |
| To give the owners an incentive to put money into the refineries, the government should stop subsidising the price of fuel, he says. | To give the owners an incentive to put money into the refineries, the government should stop subsidising the price of fuel, he says. |
| But this would lead to a lot of angry people in the cities, who would accuse the government of making their lives harder, he says. | But this would lead to a lot of angry people in the cities, who would accuse the government of making their lives harder, he says. |
| A further complication is that the new owners are among the richest people in the country, with strong links to the ruling party. | A further complication is that the new owners are among the richest people in the country, with strong links to the ruling party. |
| Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but had to import most of its petrol because of the poor state of its refineries. | Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but had to import most of its petrol because of the poor state of its refineries. |