Nationwide Nurses’ Strike Cripples Hospitals, Patients Left Stranded
The industrial action, which has paralyzed operations in major health facilities, follows the union’s 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government. The nurses are demanding an upward review of shift and uniform allowances, creation of a separate salary structure, increase in core duty allowances, mass employment of nurses, and the establishment of a nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health.
Reports from Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bayelsa, Benue, Kebbi, Edo, Rivers, Ogun, Gombe, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Borno indicate total or partial shutdowns of hospital wards, with only skeletal services running in a few locations. In many cases, patients were discharged prematurely due to a lack of nursing staff, while the few available medical workers struggled to cope with the overwhelming patient load.
At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, long queues formed at the Out-Patient, Immunisation, and Surgical departments. NANNM executives visited the facility to enforce compliance.
"I am here to ensure total adherence to the strike," said Victor Asu, NANNM chairman. "While doctors and other staff are present, service delivery has slowed down significantly, and patients are complaining. Nurses are essential for 24-hour care, but for now, none of our members will attend to patients."
A patient, Abu Isah, who brought his father for treatment at FMC Abuja, lamented the delays. "We’ve been here since 8am, and it’s already 10am with no attention yet. The wait is frustrating," he said. A mother at the immunisation unit expressed similar frustration, citing the impact on her work schedule.
At General Hospital, Kubwa, nurses were completely absent. The labour ward discharged all patients earlier in the day, forcing doctors to take on nursing duties. A doctor, speaking anonymously, admitted, "We are overwhelmed. Nurses are indispensable. Without them, we can only provide basic care."
The impact was also felt at National Hospital Abuja and Wuse General Hospital, where patients in the Accident and Emergency ward were discharged. Doctors reportedly struggled with responsibilities typically managed by nurses, such as vital sign checks, medication administration, and patient monitoring.
At Wuse, Simon Adebiyi, a patient, expressed his frustration: "The doctors are trying, but they’re stretched thin. The wait times are unbearable."
At several hospitals, NANNM leaders monitored compliance and reiterated their demands. Joe Akpi, chairman of the union at Wuse General Hospital, warned that failure to meet the nurses’ demands within the seven-day window would prompt a fresh 21-day ultimatum, after which the union may embark on an indefinite strike.
“We care deeply about our patients, but the government must meet our demands,” Akpi stated.
Responding to the crisis, Dame Okafor, Director of the Nursing Division at the Federal Ministry of Health, confirmed that a high-level meeting had been scheduled for Friday involving the Ministries of Health, Labour and Employment, the Office of the Head of Service, the Office of the Accountant General, and the National Salaries and Wages Commission.
“We are currently in dialogue with the union and the Honourable Coordinating Minister, Prof. Muhammad Pate, who cut short a trip to Maiduguri to address the situation,” Okafor said. “Although late, the discussions are ongoing to prevent escalation.”
She also noted that compliance with the strike across facilities was near total, adding that the few locum nurses still working were overwhelmed.
In Bayelsa State, the strike heavily affected tertiary healthcare facilities such as the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, and multiple general hospitals. Patients wandered from ward to ward without receiving care, while others who arrived early in the day were still unattended hours later. Several primary healthcare centres, including the Amarata PHC in Yenagoa, remained closed.
With Nigeria’s healthcare system already under strain, the nurses’ strike has further exposed deep structural gaps. Stakeholders now face mounting pressure to avert a total collapse of services should the strike extend beyond the warning period.
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