Nurses in Nigeria’s public hospitals have embarked on a seven-day warning strike, demanding urgent government intervention to address poor remuneration, worsening working conditions, and an acute shortage of personnel.
The industrial action, which began on Wednesday, follows the expiration of a two-week ultimatum issued by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM). The union has threatened an indefinite strike—the first in more than 20 years—if the federal government fails to meet its demands within the week.
“We hope that before the seventh day, we’ll have attention and a positive response from the federal government,” said Christianah Adeboboye, chairperson of the Lagos chapter of the union.
Talks between the union and a government delegation led by Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi ended in a stalemate on Tuesday. Union officials criticised the meeting’s structure, citing the absence of Health Minister Ali Pate as a key reason for the lack of progress.
“When you look at the composition of the meeting, it already shows that no outcome could have been gotten out of that meeting,” said Toba Odumosu, union secretary in Lagos.
The standoff highlights growing tensions between healthcare professionals and the government as Nigeria grapples with a shrinking workforce. According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, more than 42,000 nurses have left the country for better opportunities abroad in the past three years alone.
Public hospitals across Nigeria are now bracing for further disruptions, with patients already beginning to feel the impact of the strike.
Melissa Enoch
Follow us on:
