NIGERIAN oil workers have gone on strike, holding up output from the world’s sixth largest oil exporter to press demands for a massive pay rise. Nigeria exports more than two million barrels per day (bpd) of high quality crude oil, most of it going to the United States and accounting for eight percent of US oil imports. A prolonged strike would have an effect on world crude oil prices. The union is demanding a pay rise of between 45 and 60% for its different categories of workers, following pay rises of 10% for workers in the state-run oil firm NNPC and 20% for workers in fuel marketing this year. – AFP