Lagos , Nigeria ( CNN ) -- Nigerian unions resumed talks with the government Saturday following days of national protests over corruption and soaring fuel prices in Africa 's largest oil producer . The two sides met ahead of a promised labor shutdown of the Nigerian oil industry . In solidarity with protesters , the oil union has threatened to stop production if the government does not reinstate subsidies that will return the cost of fuel to previous levels . A decision to halt production would affect global oil prices ; Nigeria is the world 's eighth-largest exporter . Throngs of protesters have rallied to demand government accountability and a return of fuel subsidies ended on January 1 , a move that doubled gas prices and sent the cost of other goods skyrocketing . `` This is not the first time the subsidy has been removed in Nigeria . For two decades , every single government has done this , '' said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala , the nation 's finance minister . `` There is a very short memory . It has always resulted in resistance and a strike and so on . '' A deal had not been reached to avert the shutdown as talks stretched into early Sunday . While negotiations remained ongoing , one union leader said oil workers will resume their strike Monday . Earlier , labor unions urged protesters to take a break from their five-day strike Saturday and Sunday to stock up on food and water supplies . Stores and supermarkets shut down as part of the national strike were set to reopen over the weekend to allow protesters to get supplies , said Folorunso Oginni , chairman of the nation 's oil union , the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria . Despite the strike suspension , the deadline to shut down oil production is still in effect unless the government and labor unions reach an agreement , he said . The protests -- dubbed `` Occupy Nigeria '' -- have galvanized the continent 's most populous nation . Nigerians accuse their leaders of corruption and misusing oil revenues in a country where most citizens battle grinding poverty . The government has said the removal will free funds to improve the country 's infrastructure . But there is a widespread lack of trust in the government to provide the infrastructure -- Nigeria is regularly ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world . `` It is to now to try to move this forward regain the people 's trust . They can not say because of mistakes in the past the country should not move forward , '' the finance minister said Friday . In addition to the protests , the government faces another crisis -- religious attacks that have heightened fears of sectarian violence in parts of the country . CNN 's Vladimir Duthiers , Kim Chakanetsa and Nima Elbagir contributed to this report .
NEW : Oil workers will resume their strike on Monday , union leader says . Meeting comes ahead of a planned shutdown of the Nigerian oil industry . An oil industry union gave the government an ultimatum to restore fuel subsidies . A decision to halt production would affect global oil prices .