Nigerian Nurses Outraged as NANNM Charges ₦200,000–₦300,000 for 2026 Commonwealth Conference
Fellow Nurses Africa Exclusive | Abuja, 11 December 2025
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) is facing a fierce backlash from its members after announcing registration fees ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦300,000 for the 2026 Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation (CNMF) West Africa Regional Conference, scheduled for 20–24 April 2026 at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
Nurses across the country have branded the charges “exorbitant,” “insensitive” and “completely detached from reality,” especially when measured against public-sector salaries. A newly qualified nurse on CONHESS Grade Level 08 takes home roughly ₦130,000–₦150,000 monthly after deductions, while even chief nursing officers on CONHESS 13 rarely exceed ₦350,000 gross. For most members, the ₦200,000 early-bird fee equals one-and-a-half to two months’ salary — before adding transport to Abuja, five nights of accommodation (₦150,000–₦250,000 per night at Nicon Luxury) or daily living expenses.
Many are furious that the fee appears to cover only a conference bag, programme booklet, certificate and light refreshments. Accommodation, travel and decent meals are entirely self-funded.
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The anger has spilled into a deeper, more painful question that nurses are now asking openly: What exactly do we gain from paying monthly check-off dues to NANNM?
Many describe the current relationship between NANNM and its members as “parasitic.”
Year after year, nurses see automatic deductions from their meagre salaries for union dues, yet when industrial crises arise — delayed salaries, poor hazard allowances, mass emigration — the national leadership is often missing in action. Now, members say, NANNM wants another ₦200,000–₦300,000 from the same struggling nurses for an international “talk-shop” that offers no salary increase, no improved working conditions and no subsidised accommodation.
A matron in a federal teaching hospital in the South-East told Fellow Nurses Africa:
“We pay dues religiously every month, yet when we need strike funds, legal support or even a simple welfare loan, NANNM is nowhere. Now they bring a Commonwealth conference and tell us to pay almost ₦1 million in total to attend. It feels like the association exists only to collect money from us, not to serve us.”
A senior NANNM official, speaking on strict condition of anonymity confirmed that complaints about the fee have been “overwhelming.” The official admitted the national executive is reviewing the matter but could not say whether fees would be reduced or subsidies introduced.
Attempts by Fellow Nurses Africa to reach National President Comrade Haruna Mammam and General Secretary Dr T. A. Shettima for comment were unsuccessful. Calls and messages to the official lines went unanswered — a situation members say is now the norm rather than the exception.
Despite the controversy, NANNM’s 5 December circular urged members to attend “en masse” and revealed that the usual International Nurses Week celebration in May 2026 has been cancelled to focus national attention on the Commonwealth event.
For those still considering participation, Fellow Nurses Africa has published a detailed, verified step-by-step registration guide here:
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Register for the 2026 Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation (CNMF) West Africa Conference
We will continue to follow this story and press NANNM for transparent answers on the fee structure, possible concessions, sponsorship packages and, most importantly, the tangible benefits members receive in return for their compulsory dues.
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