By Tim Cocks and Felix Onuah, Reuters, Jan.12, 2012

Nigeria's main oil union said on Thursday it would shut down output from Africa's biggest oil producer on Sunday if the government did not reverse its decision to remove popular fuel subsidies [....] Tens of thousands of Nigerians have been protesting up and down Africa's most populous nation for four straight days in response to the axing of the petrol subsidy,[....]

President Jonathan has shown no sign of backing down on his government's decision to scrap a subsidy economists say was wasteful and corrupt, but that could change in the current meeting, as pressure mounts on him to yield to public opinion [....]

Publicly unions have said they will only stop strikes if the government returns petrol prices to the pre-subsidy removal rate of 65 naira and the government has said it will not reverse its decision to scrap subsidies from January 1.  The national assembly has already urged the government and unions to back down but without success [....]