Nigerian nurses, under the banner of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM‑FHI), began a seven‑day warning strike from midnight on July 29/30, 2025, following the expiry of a 15‑day ultimatum issued on July 14.
The all‑out action spans every federal healthcare institution—from teaching hospitals to medical centres—across all 36 states and the FCT, with no skeletal services permitted during the strike period.
The strike comes after weeks of failed negotiations between NANNM and key federal actors, including the Ministry of Labour & Employment, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the National Salaries, Income & Wages Commission.
Sources report that talks broke down over demands for pay parity, shift and specialist allowances, safe working conditions, and creation of a dedicated Department of Nursing within the health ministry—a structural reform aimed at amplifying nurses’ voices in policy and governance.
NANNM leadership reaffirmed that nurses provide 60–70% of hospital services nationwide, yet remain underpaid, overworked, and inadequately equipped. The association condemned the outdated allowance structure—night-shift and weekend duty pay remain negligible, uniform allowances unchanged in over two decades, and call-duty pay disproportionately low relative to workload.
“This strike is not initiated by the leadership of the union; it was initiated by the members, and they said this is what they want,” said NANNM-FHI Chairman Morakinyo Rilwan. “They are not even contemplating ‘no work, no pay,’ because the money they are taking is not even enough for them. They are ready to sacrifice that as long as this strike continues.”
A Rare Strike with Deep Roots
This is the first nurses-only nationwide strike in over 40 years. Previous industrial actions were either solidarity strikes or coordinated by the Nigeria Labour Congress. The nurses’ demands go beyond pay—they include:
- Creation of a Department of Nursing within the Federal Ministry of Health
- Implementation of a distinct salary structure for nurses
- Mass recruitment to address severe staffing shortages
- Gazetting of the revised Nurses Scheme of Service (approved in 2016)
- Enforcement of a 2012 National Industrial Court judgment
- Inclusion of nurses in health policy-making bodies
- Centralised internship postings for graduate nurses
- Recognition of consultancy roles for senior nurses and midwives
With over 74 federal hospitals, thousands of primary healthcare centres, and state facilities impacted, healthcare analysts fear emergency departments, ICU wards, maternal clinics, surgeries, and chronic care units may grind to a halt. One anonymous medical expert warned: “This is not just a strike—it is a national health emergency in the making.”
State chapters across Oyo and other states have pledged full compliance, aligning local staff with national leadership. The strike is scheduled through August 5, but officials caution it could escalate into an indefinite shutdown if demands go unmet.
The collateral damage could be severe: preventable deaths, delayed treatments, and healthcare gridlock. Nigeria is already facing a massive shortfall of nurses, with over 75,000 emigrating since 2019. A prolonged strike could accelerate the collapse of public healthcare delivery.
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