NANNM Urges Nurses to Ignore Naysayers, Confirms Strike Continues Amid Minister’s Claim

NANNM Urges Nurses to Ignore Naysayers, Confirms Strike Continues Amid Minister’s Claim

Abuja, Nigeria – 04:37 PM BST, Friday, August 01, 2025 – The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has issued a resolute call to its members, urging nurses to disregard unofficial reports and affirming that their ongoing seven-day warning strike, initiated at midnight on July 30, 2025, remains active. This stance comes in direct response to a claim by the Minister of Health, Prof Ali Pate, who announced the strike’s suspension earlier today following a meeting with union leadership.

However, Fellow Nurses Africa can confirm that NANNM insists the strike persists until the union formally decides otherwise, casting significant doubt on the Minister’s assertion amid the current healthcare crisis in Nigeria.

The strike, now in its third day, follows a 15-day ultimatum that expired on July 29, 2025, driven by critical demands including the gazetting of the 2016 Nurses Scheme of Service, enforcement of the 2012 National Industrial Court judgment, and a substantial review of the nurses’ meager $50 monthly wage—starkly contrasted by the $6,000 earned abroad. Nurses also seek improved professional allowances, recently raised by a derisory ₦250 to ₦2,000, alongside better working conditions and the establishment of a Department of Nursing within the Federal Ministry of Health.

Today’s meeting with Prof Pate reportedly yielded tentative resolutions, yet NANNM has deferred any decision, scheduling a pivotal meeting for tomorrow, Saturday, August 02, 2025, to deliberate on the outcomes.

In a statement to Fellow Nurses Africa, Morakinyo Rilwan, Chairman of NANNM’s Federal Health Institutions sector, underscored the union’s authority: “Whoever calls for the strike should be the one to suspend it. The Minister of Health did not initiate this action and lacks the authority to end it.” Rilwan’s directive to nurses to rely solely on verified NANNM channels reinforces the union’s commitment to its members’ welfare, dismissing the Minister’s claim as premature and unauthorized.

This position highlights NANNM’s determination to ensure their grievances—spanning decades of neglect—are addressed with concrete action rather than hasty concessions.

The dispute has intensified online, with #NANNMStrike2025 and #SupportNigerianNurses trending on X, where Nigerians voice support for the nurses’ cause. Fellow Nurses Africa, steadfast in its mission, pledges to monitor this evolving situation closely, providing timely updates to the nursing community and the public.

As the strike continues amid Prof Ali Pate’s suspension claim, the nation watches with anticipation for tomorrow’s union decision, a critical juncture for Nigeria’s nurses and the broader healthcare reform movement in 2025.

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