By Barth Ikiebe
Nurses, under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Federal Health Institutions Sector, have concluded plans to embark on a seven-day nationwide warning strike.
The strike will affect 74 federal hospitals, other state hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
The industrial action, expected to paralyse services in federal medical centres, teaching hospitals, and specialist institutions, is in protest over issues including poor remuneration, staff shortages, unpaid allowances, and unsafe working conditions.
The union, on July 14, 2025, issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding immediate intervention to prevent a total healthcare shutdown.
The association noted that despite the ultimatum, the Federal Government had not initiated any negotiations.
Speaking exclusively with our correspondent on Monday, the National Chairman of NANNM-FHI, Morakinyo Rilwan, said some of the long-standing demands included upward review of shift allowance, uniform allowance adjustment, a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass employment of nurses, and the establishment of a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health, among others.
“The strike in question is inevitable as the Federal Government or the Federal Ministry of Health remains adamant.
“Right now, nurses are lumped together with other health workers on the same salary scale. There’s no special consideration for the unique work nurses do.
“We want a dedicated salary structure that reflects our profession and contribution. We are not just like every other health worker. We deserve our salary scale,” he said.
The national Chairman lamented that despite the fact that they work round-the-clock shifts, they were not treated fairly.
“Nurses are the only professionals who work round-the-clock shifts. Night shifts are even more demanding and dangerous now due to security concerns.
“We are supposed to receive 30 per cent of our basic salary as shift allowance, as stated in a 2009 circular, but they’re only getting 6.8 per cent, the same as a gate man running shifts.
“It’s unfair. We work the longest hours with patients, and yet they give us crumbs,” he said.
The national chairman lamented that for 20 years now, nurses only get N20,000 per year for uniforms, even though they need to replace their wears constantly.
“Nurses get N20,000 per year for uniforms, a figure that has not changed in over 20 years, even though nurses wear white uniforms that get stained easily and need constant replacement.
“We wear full uniforms, and we sometimes need several per week. N20,000 can’t buy enough for a year anymore.
“Meanwhile, lab coat allowances for doctors and others were recently reviewed, but nurses were left out, even though uniform allowance is a long-standing rule for nurses and fire service officers,” he said.
He added that nurses wanted the core duty allowance raised from 1.7 per cent to four per cent, lamenting that despite nurses making up a large chunk of the health workforce, there’s no dedicated department for nursing in the ministry.
“Currently, a director reports to another director from a different department, which undermines the profession. We want a proper Department of Nursing, led by a full-fledged director, not sidelined under someone else.
“Since 2016, a scheme of service (defining ranks, roles, and duties of nurses) was approved and circulated, but it’s still not being implemented. We’re not asking for a new document. Just implement the one already approved.
“Nurses are still working in hospitals with no gloves, syringes, or gauze. They’re forced to improvise, which puts their lives and their health at risk. We save lives even with nothing. Imagine how much more we can do if we’re properly equipped.
“The government keeps saying there’s a nursing shortage, but Nigeria produces over 10,000 nurses annually, but many are underemployed, working in private hospitals for peanuts or on temporary locum contracts in government facilities. We have enough nurses. They just don’t employ or pay them well, that’s why they leave,” Rilwan said.
He added that the association demanded the reconstitution of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Board, which has been dissolved for over four years.
He emphasised that the planned strike would affect all levels of public healthcare facilities across Nigeria.
“This includes 74 federal hospitals – teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, specialist hospitals like orthopaedic, neuro-psychiatric, and eye centres, as well as all general hospitals and primary healthcare centres in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, and 774 local government areas,” he added.
Also, the Nationals Public Relations Officer, Omomo Tibiebi, said that during the warning strike, there would be no services, including emergencies.
“There will not be emergency services, the strike is total, and there will be no skeletal services. The 15-day ultimatum ends today, Tuesday, July 29, 2025, by midnight, and the warning strike commences on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 12:01 am,” Tibiebi noted.
