President Bola Tinubu's removal of the subsidy on the petrol price is at the heart of the issue.

The unions had given the government until Wednesday to reverse the decision on the subsidy.

As the authorities refused to budge, the unions called their members out and organised marches in cities across the country on Wednesday.

But a statement from the Nigerian presidency said that the unions had now agreed to further talks.

"Consequent upon the fruitful and frank discussion with President Tinubu and their confidence in his ability to encourage open and honest consideration of all the issues put forward by the labour movement, the labour leaders resolved to stop further protest," it said.

The Reuters news agency is quoting the Nigeria Labour Congress as saying that it had "decided for a return to a new and reinvigorated dialogue process".

Mr Tinubu has embarked on a series of economic reforms since becoming president in May.

He said the removal of the petrol subsidy, which cost the government $10bn (£8bn) last year, would enable the authorities to spend more money on targeted programmes to help the less well off.