Nurses under the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives–Federal Health Institutions Sector (NANNM-FHI) have confirmed that their planned seven-day warning strike will begin on Wednesday, July 30, regardless of any last-minute outreach from the Federal Government. The group said the government had 15 days to respond to its demands but failed to act.
Speaking on Tuesday, National Chairman Morakinyo Rilwan said the strike was driven by frustration among members over longstanding poor working conditions and unmet demands. These include an upward review of shift and uniform allowances, the creation of a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass recruitment of nurses, and the establishment of a nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health.
Rilwan stressed that the strike was member-driven and not initiated by the union’s leadership. “Even if the government calls for talks today, it won’t stop the strike. Nurses are ready to sacrifice their wages if necessary because what they earn isn’t enough to survive on,” he said. He added that this would be the first strike action nurses have taken in over 40 years, despite ongoing hardship in the sector.
The union has warned that if no progress is made after the seven-day warning strike, it will issue a fresh 21-day ultimatum, as required by labour laws. If the government still fails to respond, NANNM-FHI says it will escalate the action into a total and indefinite strike.
Addressing reports of some hospitals opting out, Rilwan clarified that only institutions not registered as financial members of the association, such as the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, will not participate. All other federal health institutions, including those in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, are expected to fully join the strike.