Fed Gov’t opens talks with Nurses amid ongoing strike

The Minister of Health, Professor Ali Pate, held a closed-door meeting on Friday with the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), alongside representatives from the Ministry of Labour.

The meeting formed part of ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving the issues that prompted the nurses and midwives to embark on a warning strike.

Members of NANNM began the industrial action on July 29, 2025, citing the federal government’s failure to adequately respond to a 15-day ultimatum issued on July 14.

The ongoing warning strike involving nurses in public health institutions across the country is expected to continue till August 5, 2025.

The strike stemmed from longstanding concerns about nurses’ welfare and poor working conditions, and the government’s reluctance to address their concerns.

The union had demanded improved welfare, fair allowances, and better working conditions for nurses across federal health institutions.

The union’s National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan, had stated that the Federal Government failed to engage meaningfully with the association during the window provided.

“As far as we are concerned, there has been no communication from the government to this moment.”

“That is why we are saying the strike is going on, and nothing is stopping it. Even if the government calls today or tomorrow, it won’t stop the strike. They had enough time,” Rilwan noted.

The nurses’ demands include the upward review of shift allowance, adjustment of uniform allowance, implementation of a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass employment of nurses, and the creation of a dedicated nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health.

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Rilwan stressed that the decision to strike was not unilaterally taken by the union’s leadership, but driven by a groundswell of frustration among members over long-standing neglect.