Nurses Nationwide Strike In Nigeria 2025

Nurses Nationwide Strike in Nigeria as nurses have denied suspending their nationwide warning strike. Get the latest update on the ongoing health sector protests, union demands, and government reactions.

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The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives–Federal Health Institutions Sector (NANNM-FHI) has refuted claims that it has suspended its ongoing nationwide seven-day warning strike.

In a statement on Saturday, the association clarified that the industrial action, which commenced on Wednesday, remains in force.

The union said it would only review its stance after assessing the Federal Government’s offers during a closed-door meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, held on Friday.

National Public Relations Officer of the association, Omomo Tibiebi, and National President Rilwan Morakinyo both affirmed that no decision had been taken to call off the strike.

“The strike is on,” Morakinyo told The Nation. “The association’s leadership will meet to review the offers before making a decision.”

Strike Demands

The warning strike was declared to press for longstanding demands, including:

• Review of shift and uniform allowances
• Creation of a distinct salary structure for nurses
• Adjustment of core duty allowances
• Mass recruitment of nurses
• Establishment of a Department of Nursing Services within the Federal Ministry of Health

The union urged members to remain resolute until further directives are issued.

Union Rejects Premature Announcements

Reacting to earlier reports that the strike had been suspended, NANNM stated:

“The strike has not been suspended. Earlier today, the NANNM executives had a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, and it was the minister who went to the press to say the strike was called off.

He wasn’t the one who called the strike in the first place, so he has no right to call off the strike. So, the strike is still on.

There will be a National Executive Council meeting by tomorrow (Saturday), and that’s when a decision will be made, and we will know if what the Federal Government has promised is good enough for us to suspend the strike.”

Impact on Healthcare Services

Hospitals across Nigeria continue to suffer from the strike, with:

• Reduced staffing
• Suspended services
• Patients discharged due to inadequate care

1. Several wards in both Federal and State health institutions remain deserted, with only skeletal operations in a few departments and full shutdowns in others.

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has firmly denied reports suggesting that the ongoing nationwide warning strike has been suspended. In a press statement released on Sunday, the association reiterated its commitment to continue with the industrial action until all their demands are met by the federal government.

Background to the Nurses Nationwide Strike In Nigeria

Earlier in the week, nurses and midwives across the country embarked on a five-day warning strike to protest the poor working conditions, delayed salaries, inadequate staffing, non-payment of hazard allowances, and lack of essential medical supplies in hospitals and health centers.

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The strike, which began on July 30, 2025, has significantly disrupted healthcare delivery, especially in public hospitals, causing long queues, delayed surgeries, and increased burden on private healthcare facilities.

Nurses Nationwide Strike 2025: What Prompted the Industrial Action?

Speaking to Punch News, the spokesperson of NANNM, Mrs. Florence Uduak, explained that the strike was a last resort following the government’s alleged failure to address numerous petitions submitted over the past 12 months.

“We have met with federal and state health authorities on several occasions, submitted memos, and even issued ultimatums. Unfortunately, our pleas have been ignored,” Uduak stated. “The government must understand that nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system. When we are not well taken care of, the entire system collapses.”

Denial of Suspension Rumors

On Saturday, rumors began circulating on social media and some online news platforms that the strike had been suspended after a closed-door meeting with government officials. However, NANNM swiftly refuted the claims.

“We categorically deny suspending the warning strike,” a statement signed by the union’s national secretary, Comrade Moses Ayodele, reads. “No agreement has been reached with the federal government, and as such, the strike continues as planned. Any reports suggesting otherwise are false and misleading.”

According to the union, the misleading reports are an attempt to create confusion among members and weaken the solidarity of healthcare professionals across the country.

Hospitals in Crisis

With the strike in full effect, major federal and state hospitals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt are operating skeletal services. Many wards have shut down, outpatient departments are inactive, and patients in emergency units are being referred elsewhere.

At the National Hospital Abuja, a senior medical officer who pleaded anonymity said, “We are overwhelmed. There are no nurses on duty, and doctors are doing the work of three people. Patients are suffering.”

Relatives of patients expressed frustration, urging the government to act swiftly. “My mother has been waiting for surgery for three days now because nurses are not available to prep her. This is unacceptable,” one relative lamented outside the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

Demands of the Nurses

• Immediate payment of withheld salaries and allowances
• Recruitment of more nursing staff to ease workload
• Provision of adequate working tools and medical supplies
• Implementation of new hazard allowance structures
• Clear career progression and improved welfare packages

NANNM also emphasized the need for better training opportunities and protection for nurses who face daily risks of infection, assault, and emotional trauma in the workplace.

Government Response

As pressure mounts, the Federal Ministry of Health issued a statement late Saturday acknowledging the ongoing strike and calling for dialogue. The Minister of Health, Dr. Samuel Adekunle, appealed to the union to return to work, promising that their grievances would be addressed “in due course.”

“We understand their concerns, and we urge the nurses to reconsider their position in the interest of public health,” the minister said. However, he did not give a timeline for implementing the demanded reforms.

Nurses Stand Firm

Despite the appeal, NANNM insists the strike will only be suspended once tangible commitments are made. “We are not moved by empty promises,” the union declared. “We want written agreements and timelines. We’ve been deceived too many times.”

They called on the general public to understand that the strike is a necessary step towards building a more functional and humane healthcare system in Nigeria.

Support from Other Unions

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have expressed solidarity with the nurses. JOHESU’s national chairman, Dr. Obinna Eze, stated: “If the government does not act fast, more health unions may join the strike. We can no longer work under inhumane conditions.”

Conclusion

As the warning strike continues, the ball is now in the government’s court. The refusal to suspend the industrial action highlights a deeper crisis in Nigeria’s healthcare sector — one rooted in chronic neglect, underfunding, and lack of political will.

The nurses’ call is not just for better salaries, but for a healthcare system that values its workers and protects its patients. Until these core issues are addressed, the threat of a full-blown nationwide strike remains very real.

Stay tuned with Punch News for updates on this developing story.