Temitayo Olumofe
The healthcare system in Nigeria faced a severe crisis in late July 2025 when nurses across the country launched a seven-day nationwide strike, crippling medical services in federal health institutions. This action, announced on July 28 and commencing on July 29, was a desperate response to persistent grievances around poor pay, inadequate working conditions, and lack of recognition and support. The strike highlighted the deep cracks in the healthcare system that risk public health delivery and exposed the urgent need for comprehensive reforms.
On July 14, 2025, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government demanding action on their unmet demands. When the deadline expired on July 28 without a satisfactory government response, nurses mobilized to start a seven-day warning strike set to affect 74 federal hospitals and primary healthcare centers nationwide.
The nurses’ demands focused heavily on financial and structural reforms within the healthcare system:
A significant upward review of shift and uniform allowances is considered woefully insufficient by the nursing staff. For instance, the government’s budget allocation of just N20,000 annually per nurse was criticized as insulting.
Establishment of a separate and improved salary structure tailored specifically for nurses, reflecting their professional responsibilities and risks.
Increased core duty allowances and the mass employment of additional nursing staff to ease the overwhelming workload.
The creation of a dedicated nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure nursing affairs receive adequate attention and policy focus.
Implementation of previous court judgments related to nursing service benefits and revision of the 2016 Nurses Scheme of Service, which remained unfulfilled.
These demands underscore the nurses’ frustration with inadequate remuneration, chronic understaffing, poor working conditions often lacking necessary equipment, and neglect of their professional identity and welfare within the health ministry’s broader structure.
Funmilayo Faminu, Chairperson of the NANNM University College Hospital chapter stated, “The decision to comply with the national directive was unanimous,” stressing the urgency and legitimacy of their grievances. She further highlighted the dual need for immediate welfare improvements and longer-term structural reforms, saying the strike was “to drive urgent attention to long-standing welfare and professional issues”.
From July 29, the strike saw nursing services halt across most government hospitals, federal medical centers, teaching hospitals, and specialist institutions. With nurses withdrawing their labor, many hospitals operated only skeletal emergency services, leaving thousands of patients stranded and critical care delayed or unavailable.
The disruption revealed how critical nurses are to the healthcare delivery chain, particularly in public institutions that serve the majority of Nigeria’s population. Many patients were forced to seek alternative private care, adding financial strain on already vulnerable communities, or had to endure long waits and deteriorating health conditions due to the absence of adequate nursing staff.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare faced mounting pressure to resolve the crisis swiftly, as public anxiety grew over the sustainability of health services amid the strike and mass nurse departures from service.
The situation became a breaking point that exposed systemic failure in adequately supporting health workers, especially nurses, whose role is fundamental to frontline patient care.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) also issued a 21-day ultimatum following the nurses’ action, signaling wider unrest in the healthcare sector centered on welfare and professional respect issues.
Following several days of negotiations during the strike period, the Federal Ministry of Health, led by Minister Professor Ali Pate, reached an agreement with the NANNM leadership that led to a suspension of the strike on August 2, 2025. The deal addressed several key demands that had sparked the industrial action, including:
An upward review of shift and uniform allowances.
A commitment to implement the previously approved 2016 Nurses Scheme of Service.
Plans to create a nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health.
An agreement on hiring more nurses to address chronic understaffing.
Enforcement of court judgments related to nursing welfare benefits.
Professor Pate emphasized the government’s resolve to improve nurses’ welfare, saying, “Our commitment is to ensure that health workers receive the respect and support they deserve to provide quality care for Nigerians.” The government acknowledged that inadequate funding and neglect contributed to the crisis and that a sustainable solution requires ongoing dialogue and investment.
However, while the deal marked a crucial step towards restoring health services, many experts warn that systemic problems cannot be resolved overnight.
The crisis showed that without substantial policy reform, better funding, enhanced infrastructure, and sincere engagement with healthcare workers, similar revolts and service breakdowns remain risks. The ripple effects of the strike revealed underlying vulnerabilities such as outdated salary structures, insufficient staffing, and poor working conditions that have led to mass departures of nurses from the public sector and discouraged new entrants to the profession.
To truly grasp the human dimension of this crisis, it’s essential to hear from the nurses themselves. Many describe the strike not as a choice but a last resort after years of feeling undervalued and unheard. The burden of long shifts, inadequate protective equipment, and stressful working environments without commensurate pay takes both physical and emotional tolls.
Morakinyo Rilwan, President of NANNM-FHI, stated firmly, “We did not want to come to this, but our voices have been repeatedly ignored. Nurses are the backbone of health care. Without us, the system collapses.” This sentiment was widely echoed by nurses deployed in both urban and rural healthcare centers, many of whom balanced care duties with fears for their own financial and professional futures.
Patients, too, faced confusion and despair as essential treatments and care routines were abruptly interrupted. Families reported distress over inability to secure emergency care or ongoing treatment, underscoring the inseparable link between health worker welfare and public well-being.
Looking Ahead: Building Resilience in Health Systems
The July 2025 nurse strike and subsequent health system strain present a clarion call for Nigeria and similar contexts to reimagine their healthcare frameworks. Key lessons emerging include:
Prioritize health worker welfare, including fair pay, safe working conditions, and career development opportunities.
Establish transparent and responsive communication channels between health authorities and worker unions to pre-empt crises.
Invest in healthcare infrastructure and staffing to reduce burdens on existing personnel and enhance service quality.
Recognize and institutionalize nursing leadership and voices within health policy formulation, including dedicated departments and professional frameworks.
Address legal and policy bottlenecks that leave welfare agreements unenforced or outdated.
Such measures, informed by the realities exposed during the nurse revolt, form the foundation for a resilient health system capable of absorbing shocks without risking public health. The recent deal is a foundation, but the true test will be the government’s sustained commitment and follow-through to heal this fractured sector.
In the heart of hospitals and clinics, beyond strikes and headlines, nurses remain the vital link between health policies and patient lives. Supporting them is not just an employment matter; it is a vital public health imperative.