By Anna Borzello BBC, Lagos

The strike is likely to have an impact on the eighth all-Africa Games opening in the capital, Abuja on Saturday that are costing Nigeria an estimated $700m to host.

Fuel prices jumped more than 10% this week in Nigeria, an oil exporter

At the end of an all-day meeting, the Nigerian Labour Congress called for an indefinite general strike from next Thursday.

The union leaders also urged Nigerians to stay away from the all-Africa Games, the continent's equivalent of the Olympics.

Over 50 countries are taking part in the games, which the government hopes will boost its image as the "big brother" of Africa.

The government says that by removing subsidies they will be able to use the money instead on improving services and infrastructure

The call for a strike is based on the government's decision this week to lift subsidies on petroleum products which has caused the cost of fuel to jump by about 12%.

The move has angered Nigerians, particularly as there was no formal or coherent statement to explain the new policy of deregulation and the effect it would have on fuel prices.

'Inflammatory'

In June, a fuel price increase resulted in a 10-day, occasionally violent, national strike which only ended after the government partially backed down.

Fuel is an inflammatory subject in Nigeria.

The country is one of the 10 largest producers of crude oil in the world, but imports most of the refined product which, until now, it has sold on to Nigerians at a subsidised price.

The government says that by removing subsidies they will be able to use the money instead on improving services and infrastructure.