Fellow Nurses Africa News, 27 July 2025.
FMC Makurdi Accused of Wage Theft: Intern Nurses and Medics Denied Approved Salaries
In a disturbing exposé, intern nurses and other medical professionals at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, have accused hospital management of withholding their rightful wages. An anonymous whistleblower revealed that interns are paid a mere ₦161,000 monthly, far below the federally approved minimum wage of ₦220,000–₦230,000 for health interns. This alleged wage theft, attributed to hospital leadership has left interns struggling financially and silenced by fear of retaliation.
The whistleblower, whose identity is protected due to threats of victimization, described a culture of intimidation at FMC Makurdi. Interns were denied access to the finance department’s intern matters file, where a document marked “approved” for the minimum wage was briefly seen but could not be photographed due to a strict no-phone policy. “They are doing everything to silence us daily,” the source said, alleging that management’s restrictions prevent interns from gathering evidence of the underpayment. With no protests due to fears of non-renewal of placements, interns are enduring this injustice in silence.
Beyond wage theft, FMC Makurdi faces accusations of operating under deplorable conditions. The whistleblower described the hospital as a “death trap” for patients and healthcare workers’ careers, lacking basic equipment like sphygmomanometers, pulse oximeters, and stethoscopes. Patients are forced to supply their own gloves and consumables, compromising care quality. “The departments are not different from where pigs stay,” the source stated, questioning how FMC Makurdi secured accreditation for internship and house job programs.
This scandal reflects broader issues in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. A 2023 Transparency International report highlighted corruption as a major barrier to effective healthcare delivery, with whistleblowers facing risks due to weak legal protections. The underpayment and poor conditions at FMC Makurdi contribute to Nigeria’s healthcare worker brain drain, as professionals flee exploitation and burnout for better opportunities abroad.
Fellow Nurses Africa calls for urgent action to investigate these allegations, ensure interns receive their full wages, and address FMC Makurdi’s dire conditions. The Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Medical Association, and anti-corruption agencies must probe the claims of financial misconduct and review the hospital’s accreditation status. This is an SOS for FMC Makurdi’s interns, who risk their lives and careers in a facility plagued by corruption and neglect.
What You Can Do:
- Share this story to expose the exploitation at FMC Makurdi.
- Contact the Federal Ministry of Health to demand an investigation.
- Advocate for better protections for healthcare whistleblowers in Nigeria.
Disclaimer: Fellow Nurses Africa is amplifying the voices of oppressed healthcare workers at FMC Makurdi, acting on the information provided by an anonymous whistleblower. We are committed to advocating for justice and accountability in Nigeria’s healthcare sector while protecting the identities of those who risk retaliation for speaking out. The allegations presented are based on the whistleblower’s account and require further investigation to establish their full veracity.
