Protesters disrupted traffic in Lagos

BBC

Nigerians finally showed their response to government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy by embarking on massive protests in major cities across the country on Tuesday.

According to reports, besides the protest in the nation’s commercial capital, Lagos, protests also took place in Abuja, Ilorin, Kano and other cities.

The protests in Lagos were led by Trade unionists, which lead to disruption of traffic along Ikorodu Road as they marched from their office in Yaba.

The labour union are to meet on Wednesday to decide on strike plans, which is likely to increase the resistance to the government’s action.

About two dozen people were said to have been arrested in Kano as they gathered to protest.

Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer, but imports refined petrol.

Years of mismanagement and corruption mean it does not have the capacity to refine oil into petrol and other fuels.

Analysts say many Nigerians regard cheap fuel as the only benefit they get from the nation's oil wealth.

Several previous governments have tried to remove the subsidy but have backed down in the face of widespread public protests and reduced it instead.

The IMF has long urged Nigeria's government to remove the subsidy, which costs a reported $8bn (£5.2bn) a year.

Tuesday is the first working day since the measures were announced on January 1.

Protests have been held in cities across the country, including Lagos, Ibadan, Lokoja, Nasarawa and Kano.

The BBC's Tomi Oladipo in Lagos says that as the marchers passed petrol stations, they shouted insults and tried to persuade them to close.

They also disrupted traffic on a major highway and started fires.

The city is not as busy as it normally is, with many people stranded as they could not afford the new transport fares after going away for the holidays, our reporter says.

Police in the capital, Abuja blockaded Eagle Square, where protesters had planned to gather for a protest.

On Monday, police fired tear gas to disperse some 200 people who had gathered in the capital, chanting: "Remove corruption, not subsidy."

Prices have increased from N65 per litre to at least N140 in filling stations.

However, there are reports that petrol prices have tripled in some remote areas to as high as N200, while commuters have complained that motorcycle and minibus taxi fares have already doubled or tripled.

It is expected that as a ripple effect of the fuel price hike, the prices of other goods will rise as well.

The government has said it will spend the money saved by removing the subsidy on improving the country's erratic electricity supply, as well as health and education.

However, analysts say that many Nigerians have little faith that the money will be well spent and fear it will instead be stolen by corrupt officials.

In December, the government released a list of the people who benefit most from the subsidy, which include some of Nigeria's richest people - the owners of fuel-importing firms.