Healthcare services across Nigeria are set to face major disruption as nurses under the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Federal Health Institutions Sector (NANNM-FHI), commence a seven-day nationwide warning strike on today, July 30, 2025.
The strike, which will affect 74 federal hospitals including teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, specialist institutions, as well as general hospitals and primary healthcare centres across all 36 states and the FCT, follows the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government on July 14.
The association is protesting poor remuneration, staff shortages, unpaid allowances, unsafe working conditions, and lack of recognition within the health sector. According to the National Chairman of NANNM-FHI, Morakinyo Rilwan, nurses are demanding a separate salary structure, better shift and uniform allowances, improved core duty allowance, mass employment, and the creation of a dedicated nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health.
Rilwan criticised the government’s failure to respond to their demands, describing the strike as inevitable. He noted that nurses, who often work demanding and risky round-the-clock shifts, are still being paid just 6.8 percent shift allowance instead of the 30 percent recommended in a 2009 circular, and receive only N20,000 annually for uniforms — an amount unchanged for over two decades.
He added that many nurses are underemployed or forced into poorly paid temporary roles, despite the country producing over 10,000 new nurses annually. The association also lamented the continued dissolution of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Board for over four years, and the lack of essential medical supplies in many hospitals.
The National PRO of the union, Omomo Tibiebi, confirmed that the strike would be total, with no skeletal or emergency services provided during the period.