Nigerian Nurses Commence Nationwide Strike Over Poor Conditions

 Nigerian nurses under the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions Sector, have embarked on a nationwide seven-day warning strike effective from 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

The industrial action follows the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued to the federal government on July 14, urging urgent intervention to avert a healthcare crisis. With no meaningful response from the government, the association said it had no choice but to withdraw services.

National Chairman of NANNM-FHI, Comrade Morakinyo Rilwan, announced that the strike would affect 74 federal health facilities across Nigeria, including teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, specialist hospitals (orthopaedic, neuropsychiatric, eye centres), general hospitals, and primary healthcare centres in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Private hospitals are not affected.

The nurses’ demands include:

• Immediate gazetting of the nurses' scheme of service approved in 2016.

• Implementation of a 2012 National Industrial Arbitration Court (NIC) judgment.

• Upward review of professional allowances.

• Employment of additional nursing staff.

• Improvement of health infrastructure and equipment.

Other issues raised include:

• Creation of a dedicated Department of Nursing within the Federal Ministry of Health.

• Inclusion of nurses in healthcare policymaking bodies.

• Centralized internship postings for graduate nurses.

• Recognition of consultancy status for senior nurses and midwives.

• Withdrawal of a recent circular revising allowances for health workers, which nurses say is unfavorable.

Rilwan stressed that unless the federal government addresses these concerns, the strike could escalate into a total shutdown of federal healthcare services.