Superiors Impose N25,000 Levy on Nurses for Senior Officers’ Retirement Celebration
FNA NEWS, 21st of September, 2026
Nurses allege compulsory contributions for retirement celebrations, while Lagos HSC says donations should be voluntary
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Nurses working under the Lagos State Health Service Commission (HSC) have raised concerns over alleged compulsory financial contributions towards retirement celebrations for two senior nursing officers.
According to an investigation by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), nurses across Lagos State public hospitals were reportedly directed to contribute varying amounts based on their grade levels.
Those on Grade Levels 15 to 17 were reportedly asked to contribute N25,000, while nurses on Levels 12 to 14 were assigned N15,000. Those on Levels 8 to 10 were reportedly assigned N10,000, while Level 7 nurses were asked to contribute N5,000.
The reported contributions are linked to retirement celebrations for Awobajo Oluranti and Adebukola Adedeji Cole, identified by FIJ as senior nursing officers within the Lagos State Health Service Commission.
Their retirements are reportedly scheduled for December 11 and December 18, 2026, respectively.
How the alleged N25,000 contribution emerged
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FIJ reported that heads of nursing from the general hospitals formed a committee following a meeting on August 2 to organise the retirement celebrations.
According to information obtained by FIJ, the committee determined contribution amounts according to nurses’ grade levels.
The highest reported contribution was N25,000 for nurses on Grade Levels 15 to 17.
However, the question of whether the payments were genuinely voluntary has become the centre of the controversy.
Some nursing leaders interviewed by FIJ said nurses were free to decide whether to contribute. Other nurses, speaking anonymously, alleged that some superiors were making the payments compulsory.
One nurse alleged that some senior nursing officers could withhold administrative approvals, including leave letters or audit clearance forms, if nurses did not pay.
These claims were made by anonymous sources and have not been independently established by FNA.
Nursing leaders deny forcing staff to pay
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The reports contain conflicting accounts from nursing leaders.
Arolake Azeez, identified by FIJ as the apex nurse at Ijede General Hospital, denied forcing nurses to contribute.
She told FIJ that the contribution was voluntary and that nurses who could not afford it would not be punished or victimised.
Iyabode Amodu, identified as the apex nurse at Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, also told FIJ that she was not aware of nurses being forced to contribute and described the payment as a voluntary donation.
This means the available reporting does not establish that every nurse under the Lagos HSC was compelled to make the payment.
Instead, it reveals a dispute between nurses who say contributions were being enforced at some facilities and nursing leaders who say participation was voluntary.
Lagos HSC says nurses should not be forced to contribute
The Lagos State Health Service Commission has reportedly taken a position against compulsory contributions for individual celebrations.
According to a message seen by FIJ, Ololade Fadipe, Commissioner IV at the HSC, said the commission had received complaints that nurses were being coerced into contributing towards retirement celebrations and parties organised by individual leaders.
Fadipe reportedly stated that the HSC does not solicit funds from hospitals to organise parties for staff.
She also said that no staff member should be forced to contribute to individual celebrations and that donations, where sought, should be voluntary.
She reportedly advised any nurse experiencing pressure to make a contribution to report the matter directly to her.
The commission’s reported position is significant because it distinguishes voluntary workplace celebrations from contributions that employees may feel obliged to make because of their position within the organisation.
Why nurses are questioning the practice
Retirement celebrations are common across many workplaces, including the healthcare sector, and colleagues may voluntarily contribute towards recognising a retiring professional.
The concern raised by the nurses is different.
They are questioning whether employees should be expected to contribute a predetermined amount to a celebration, particularly where the contribution is linked to their grade level or where refusing to pay could allegedly have workplace consequences.
For nurses earning different salaries and facing different personal financial obligations, a fixed contribution may also have different implications for individual workers.
The issue therefore centres on whether participation is genuinely voluntary and whether nurses can decline without fear of retaliation or disadvantage at work.
Allegations of wider contribution demands
FIJ also reported claims from nurses that similar contribution requests had previously been made for other celebrations involving senior officers.
One nurse reportedly alleged that nurses had previously been required to contribute towards a wedding involving a senior officer’s daughter.
These are allegations from individual sources and should not be interpreted as evidence of an official Lagos HSC policy.
The HSC’s reported response appears to draw a distinction between recognised institutional levies and contributions for individual celebrations.
What the controversy means for nurses
For a health system employing nurses across multiple public hospitals, clear rules around staff contributions can help prevent disputes and protect professional relationships.
A voluntary contribution should be distinguishable from an official deduction, approved workplace levy or employment-related obligation.
The current controversy also highlights the importance of ensuring that junior staff can decline participation in social activities without fear of professional consequences.
Where allegations of retaliation are made, they should be independently investigated rather than assumed to be established facts.
For nurses who believe they are being compelled to make payments, the reported position of the HSC provides a formal route for raising concerns, as the commission has stated that staff should not be forced to contribute to individual celebrations.
The bigger question: workplace culture in nursing
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Beyond the reported N25,000 contribution, the controversy raises a broader question about workplace culture within nursing.
Senior nurses play important roles in mentoring, leadership and professional development. Celebrating their retirement can be an opportunity to recognise years of service.
But recognition does not necessarily require compulsory financial participation.
A transparent approach — making it clear who is organising an event, whether contributions are optional and whether there are consequences for declining — can help prevent misunderstandings between senior and junior members of the profession.
For nursing leadership, maintaining trust is particularly important in a profession that depends heavily on teamwork, hierarchy and collaboration.
What FNA knows so far
The available evidence establishes that a contribution structure was circulated among nurses under the Lagos State Health Service Commission, with amounts reportedly ranging from N5,000 to N25,000 depending on grade level.
There are, however, conflicting accounts over whether the payments were compulsory.
Some nurses told journalists that they were being pressured to pay, while nursing leaders interviewed by FIJ denied coercion.
The Lagos HSC has reportedly stated that staff should not be forced to contribute to individual celebrations and that such donations should be voluntary.
FNA therefore cannot independently establish that the Lagos State Health Service Commission officially imposed a compulsory N25,000 levy on all nurses.
What the reporting does show is a dispute over the collection of contributions for senior officers’ retirement celebrations — and an official HSC position that such contributions should not be compulsory.
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Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa.
Durowoju Abisola is a registered nurse, nurse writer and On-Air Correspondent at Fellow Nurses Africa (FNA), passionate about nursing leadership, health education and advocacy.
Through journalism, storytelling and content creation, she amplifies important conversations around nursing, healthcare and the experiences of nurses in Nigeria. She is committed to using her voice and professional knowledge to educate the public, challenge misconceptions and inspire the next generation of nurses.
