FCT Nurses and Health Unions Protest PHC Closure, Demand Unpaid Wages and Better Conditions
By Fellow Nurses Africa News Desk | April 24, 2025
Nurses and other health workers in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) took to the streets of Abuja on Thursday to protest the continued shutdown of over 270 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the six area councils.
Led by the FCT chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), the protest drew support from the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The demonstrators are calling for the immediate reopening of the PHCs, payment of long-overdue salaries and allowances, and the full implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage.
“Women and children are dying because these centres have been shut for over a month,” said Mr. Jama Medan, Chairman of NANNM-FCT. “We have less than 130 nurses and midwives running the facilities. The shortage of staff is alarming, and yet nothing is being done by the government.”
According to Medan, the FCT Minister had already released over N4.1 billion to address the crisis, but the area council chairmen allegedly failed to disburse the funds or pay entitlements like hazard and uniform allowances.
“The health system is crumbling, and this neglect is unacceptable. Our health workers deserve better,” Medan added.
The protest also highlighted how the PHC shutdown has disrupted essential services like the national polio vaccination campaign, putting the FCT at risk of a resurgence in preventable diseases.
Teachers Join the Protest
Also present at the protest were primary school teachers, represented by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), who have been on strike for over a month due to similar issues around unpaid wages.
“The education system is also at a breaking point,” said Mr. Abdullahi Shafa, NUT Chairman in the FCT. “We are calling on the Minister to act swiftly before things get completely out of hand.”
The NLC has threatened to escalate the matter further if the government fails to respond to the workers’ demands within a week.
Government Promises to Act
Receiving the protest letter on behalf of the FCT Minister, Dr. Hayyo Danlami, Mandate Secretary of the FCT Education Secretariat, assured the protesters that their concerns would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities.
“Your message has been received, and we promise to communicate it to the Minister,” Danlami said.
What the Workers Are Demanding:
- Reopening of all closed PHCs
- Payment of outstanding salaries and allowances
- Implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage
- Urgent recruitment of additional healthcare staff
- Resolution of the ongoing teachers’ strike
The protest is the latest sign of growing unrest in Nigeria’s public service sectors, particularly healthcare and education. As these essential services face mounting pressure, workers are demanding immediate action, accountability, and long-overdue reform.
Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing. We educate, inform, and support the nursing profession.
