Minister of Health Professor Ali Pate held a closed-door meeting on Friday with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) alongside officials from the Ministry of Labour.
Gatekeepers News reports that the meeting forms part of the ongoing efforts to resolve the dispute between the federal government and the union, which had declared a nationwide warning strike beginning July 29, 2025.
The strike, expected to last until August 5, follows the government’s failure to address a 15-day ultimatum issued by the association on July 14.
Nurses and midwives in federal health institutions have downed tools in protest of longstanding issues relating to their welfare and working conditions.
The union insists that its demands, which include a review of shift and uniform allowances, implementation of a distinct salary structure, improved core duty allowances, mass recruitment of nurses, and the establishment of a dedicated department for nursing within the Health Ministry, must be addressed.
NANNM National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan, criticised the federal government for its inaction during the negotiation window, stating that there had been no meaningful engagement up to the point the strike commenced.
He said, “As far as we are concerned, there has been no communication from the government to this moment. That is why we are saying the strike is going on, and nothing is stopping it. Even if the government calls today or tomorrow, it won’t stop the strike. They had enough time.”
Rilwan added that the strike decision was a collective response to prolonged neglect and dissatisfaction among nurses, not a unilateral move by union leaders.
