Strike Action by Nurses Averted Following Agreement with Federal Government
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called off a seven-day nationwide strike that began on Wednesday, April 7, following a formal agreement with the Federal Government. The suspension of the strike suggests a resolution or progress towards meeting the demands of NANNM.
The Minister of Health, Ali Pate, announced the suspension of the strike on Friday, April 9, after a closed-door meeting with union leaders in Abuja. The strike affected the healthcare system in Nigeria for seven days, from April 7 to April 13.
The agreement reached between NANNM and the Federal Government includes the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a clear, time-bound implementation framework addressing NANNM's nine core demands. The exact nature of the agreements reached during the meeting was not disclosed.
Significant updates from the agreement and subsequent actions are:
- The Federal Government has pledged to gazette the long-awaited Nurses’ Scheme of Service within four weeks, addressing career progression and internship placement issues.
- The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has been directed to establish modalities for the central placement of nurses for internship programs.
- The MoU also addresses employment and facility equipment, noting that waivers were granted in 2024 for over 14,000 health sector workers, with nurses constituting about 60%. Recruitment for 2024 is complete, and waivers issuance for 2025 has started.
- The NANNM National Executive Council (NEC) has resolved to monitor the government's compliance with the MoU and implementation timelines, and all state councils have been instructed to mobilize members for immediate resumption of duty.
- The NEC assured that no member, including interns and locum nurses, should be victimized for participating in the strike, emphasizing protection against reprisals.
The agreement and strike suspension followed extensive meetings involving the Ministers of Health, Labour, and Employment, and other stakeholders, reflecting positive steps by the government to address nurses' welfare and professional demands. The strike suspension was announced officially on August 2-3, 2025.
[1] Saturday Punch, "NANNM Suspends Nationwide Strike," August 3, 2025.
[2] The Guardian, "NANNM Suspends Strike After FG Agrees to Key Demands," August 3, 2025.
[3] The Nation, "NANNM Suspends Strike After FG Agrees to Key Demands," August 3, 2025.
[4] Vanguard, "NANNM Suspends Strike After FG Agrees to Key Demands," August 3, 2025.
[5] Daily Trust, "Details of NANNM-FG Agreement," August 4, 2025.
- The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) suspended a seven-day nationwide strike on August 3, 2025, following an agreement with the Federal Government.
- The agreement, which addressed key demands, included a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a clear implementation framework.
- Some significant updates from the agreement include a pledge by the Federal Government to gazette the Nurses’ Scheme of Service within four weeks, internship placement improvements, and employment and facility equipment improvements.
- The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria was directed to establish central placement modalities for internship programs.
- Waivers for over 14,000 health sector workers, with nurses constituting about 60%, were granted in 2024, and the issuance for 2025 has started.
- The NANNM National Executive Council (NEC) resolved to monitor the government's compliance with the MoU and implementation timelines, instructing all state councils to mobilize members for immediate resumption of duty.
- NANNM assured that no member, including interns and locum nurses, would be victimized for participating in the strike, emphasizing protection against reprisals.
