Nigerian Nurses Begin Nationwide Strike

Nigerian nurses under the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions Sector, have started a seven-day nationwide warning strike. 

The Nigerian nurses strike began at exactly 12:01 am on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, after the federal government failed to meet their demands.

The nurses had earlier given the government a 15-day deadline, which expired on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. 

This warning strike affects 74 federal health institutions, including teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, orthopaedic hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, eye centres, general hospitals, and primary health centres across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and 774 local government areas.

However, the strike does not include private hospitals. According to the union, this is because most private hospitals do not have a large presence of nurses across Nigeria.

Speaking before the strike began, Morakinyo Rilwan, the National Chairman of NANNM-FHI, explained that the government had failed to take action even after the association issued an ultimatum on July 14, 2025. 

Despite warning the government about the possibility of a health sector crisis, there was no serious response or attempt at negotiation.

The nurses are protesting several long-standing issues that affect their work and well-being. These include:

• Poor salaries and allowances
  
• Lack of enough staff in hospitals and clinics
  
• Unpaid entitlements
  
• Unsafe and unhealthy working conditions
  
• Outdated equipment and lack of basic tools

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They are also demanding that the government:

• Officially publish (gazette) the updated nurses’ scheme of service approved in 2016
  
• Implement a court ruling from 2012 on nurses’ rights
  
• Review and increase their professional allowances
  
• Employ more nurses across federal health institutions
  
• Improve the quality of equipment in public hospitals
  
• Create a nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health
  
• Include nurses in leadership and policymaking roles in the health sector
  
• Give the association more representation on hospital boards
  
• Centralise the posting of graduate nurses for internship
  
• Recognise nurses and midwives as consultants
  

Another key complaint is about a recent circular released by the government that reviewed allowances for healthcare workers. The nurses say the contents of the circular are unfair and must be withdrawn.

The strike will last for seven days unless the government begins serious talks with the association.

If nothing is done after the warning strike, the nurses may decide to begin a full-blown, indefinite strike. This would likely lead to a shutdown of many public health services across Nigeria.

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