Lagos, July 31 – Nurses across Nigeria’s public healthcare system commenced a seven-day warning strike on Wednesday, demanding improved wages, enhanced working conditions, and urgent recruitment to address a growing manpower crisis.
The strike, spearheaded by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), follows the expiration of a two-week ultimatum issued to the federal government. Union leaders have warned that if their demands are not addressed within the stipulated time frame, they will launch an indefinite nationwide strike—the first such action in over two decades.
“We hope that before the seventh day, we’ll receive meaningful engagement and a positive response from the federal government,” said Christianah Adeboboye, chairperson of NANNM in Lagos.
A last-minute meeting held on Tuesday between union representatives and a government delegation led by Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi failed to produce any breakthrough. Union officials expressed frustration over what they called an ill-prepared negotiation session.
“The composition of the meeting indicated from the outset that it would yield no concrete results,” said Toba Odumosu, NANNM secretary in Lagos. “The absence of Health Minister Ali Pate, a key stakeholder, undermined the seriousness of the talks.”
The standoff comes at a critical time for Nigeria’s healthcare sector, already grappling with staff shortages and systemic challenges. According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, more than 42,000 nurses have migrated abroad over the past three years in search of better opportunities, leaving local facilities understaffed and under immense pressure.
Public hospitals are now bracing for widespread disruptions, with patient care likely to be severely impacted if the deadlock continues.
The union is demanding not only salary adjustments and hazard allowances but also an aggressive recruitment drive to stem the exodus and stabilize healthcare delivery nationwide.
As tensions mount, healthcare stakeholders are urging swift government intervention to prevent a full-blown crisis in an already fragile system.
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