Nurses under the banner of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives – Federal Health Institutions Sector (NANNM-FHI) have launched a seven-day warning strike, beginning at midnight, despite repeated appeals from the Federal Government to shelve the action.
The strike comes after the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued on July 14, 2025, demanding urgent reforms in welfare packages, working conditions, and the implementation of a revised remuneration structure for nurses across federal health institutions.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, NANNM-FHI National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan, accused the Federal Government of failing to initiate meaningful dialogue during the negotiation window.
“To date, there has been no official communication from the government. The strike has commenced and it will continue. Even if they call now, it’s too late—this could have been avoided,” Rilwan declared.
According to him, the strike was not a top-down directive but a collective demand by frustrated rank-and-file nurses nationwide.
“This is a movement driven by the grassroots. The members insisted on it. After 40 years of neglect, patience has worn thin,” he said.
Core Demands: Welfare, Structure, Respect
The association’s demands include:
Upward review of shift and uniform allowances
Creation of a dedicated Nursing Department in the Federal Ministry of Health
Implementation of a separate salary structure for nurses
Increased core duty allowances
Mass recruitment to address the growing personnel shortfall
Rilwan emphasized that poor welfare and decades-long disregard have severely demoralized the profession.
“Nurses are working under unsafe conditions—no gloves, no basic tools—yet they’ve shown restraint for over four decades,” he said.
He dismissed concerns over government threats of invoking the “no work, no pay” policy.
“Nurses are ready to sacrifice their meagre earnings to demand dignity. That’s how dire the situation is,” he added.
The strike is expected to run until August 5. However, the union warned that if the government remains unresponsive, a fresh 21-day ultimatum will be issued—potentially triggering an indefinite nationwide industrial action.
“If the government fails to respond after 21 days, we will not hesitate to shut down completely,” Rilwan stated.
Clarifying why some facilities in Lagos appear unaffected, Rilwan noted that Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) are not financial members of the association due to unresolved internal issues.
“They’re not legally covered under this action. But all other federal institutions across Lagos, states, and the FCT are fully participating,” he said.
This marks the first major nationwide strike by nurses in over four decades, signaling growing unrest in Nigeria’s healthcare sector over stalled reforms and worsening workforce morale.
