🏥 Nigerian Nurses Suspend Four-Day Strike After Government Concessions

Nigeria’s National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions sector, has suspended its four‑day nationwide warning strike following formal negotiations with the federal government .

⚠️ Why Nurses Went on Strike

The industrial action began on July 30, 2025, as part of a seven‑day warning strike. Nurses demanded better shift and uniform allowances, a separate salary structure, increased core duty allowances, mass recruitment, and the establishment of a dedicated Nursing Department at the Federal Ministry of Health . Despite early calls by the government to halt the strike, the union held firm until binding commitments were made .

🤝 Agreement Reached with Government

A key breakthrough came after high‑level meetings involving union representatives and federal officials, including the Health Minister Ali Pate and Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi . The government offered clear, actionable timelines for addressing the union’s core demands and agreed that no nurse would face punishment for participating in the strike .

✅ Strike Suspension Confirmed

On August 2, NANNM’s Assistant Secretary‑General Chidi Aligwe officially announced the strike would be suspended immediately. A formal circular signed by National President Haruna Mamman and General Secretary T.A. Shettima declared that all nurses and midwives must resume duty at once, and union leaders pledged to monitor compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with government stakeholders .

🔍 Why This Matters

1. Government Response: The suspension reflects government willingness to negotiate and provide clear timelines for urgent reforms in the nursing sector.
2. Nurses’ Conditions: The strike underscores long-standing issues within Nigeria’s healthcare system—low allowances, staffing shortages, and the absence of a separate career structure for nurses.
3. Union Leverage: NANNM demonstrated that collective action could yield tangible commitments, including protection from victimization and new policy structures.

🧭 Quick Summary

Issue	Details
Strike duration	Four-day warning strike from July 30 to August 2, 2025
Key demands	Better pay, staffing, allowances, salary structure, ministry reforms
Outcome	Strike suspended after MoU; government offered implementation timelines
Next steps	NANNM to monitor the enforcement of signed MoU

⚖️ How Do Nurses’ Demands Compare With Other Health Workers?

📌 Nurses (NANNM)

1. Strike Type: 4-day warning strike (July 30 – August 2, 2025)
2. Core Demands:
   
3. Review of shift duty and uniform allowances
4. A unique salary structure for nurses
5. Increased core duty allowances
6. Mass recruitment to reduce workload
7. Establishment of a Nursing Directorate in the Ministry of Health
8. 
   
9. Outcome: MoU signed, strike suspended, no victimization clause included

🩺 Doctors (NARD / MDCAN)

1. Recent Actions: NARD (resident doctors) suspended a strike in late 2024 over unpaid salary arrears and hazard allowance
2. Key Demands:
   
3. Timely payment of salaries
4. Hazard allowance review
5. Training support for residency programs
6. Infrastructure upgrades in teaching hospitals
7. 
   

🧪 Other Health Workers (JOHESU)

1. Members: Pharmacists, lab scientists, physiotherapists, etc.
2. Typical Demands:
   
3. Implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS)
4. Career progression equality (especially compared to doctors)
5. Improved funding and staffing for federal health institutions
6. 
   
7. Trend: Often aligned with NANNM during sector-wide strikes

🧭 What Happens Next?

🔍 Government Side

1. Must follow through on the timelines in the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
2. Expected to create a separate Nursing Department within the Ministry of Health
3. Likely to initiate review of nurse-specific allowances and staffing policy by Q4 2025

🧍‍♀️ NANNM Side

1. Will resume monitoring compliance nationwide
2. Could escalate action to an indefinite strike if government fails to deliver
3. May strengthen collaboration with other unions under JOHESU for broader reform campaigns

🚨 Key Insight

Nigeria’s health sector faces sector-wide dissatisfaction rooted in poor working conditions, salary delays, and policy neglect. What sets the nurses’ strike apart is their focus on institutional recognition—calling not just for pay but structural reform through a dedicated Ministry unit.

🧠 Final Thought

The resolution of the nurses’ four-day warning strike highlights the power of sustained dialogue and informed pressure. With implementation timelines now agreed, nurses expect the federal government to fulfill its promises—and ensure that healthcare delivery in Nigeria is improved for professionals and patients alike.