Healthcare: Relief as Nigerian nurses, midwives suspend warning strike

*Haruna Mamman, National President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, says the Association reached the decision to call off their strike, following an emergency virtual meeting of the National Executive Council and a review of the signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Four days after the medical personnel declared their nationwide industrial action, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has suspended its seven-day warning strike in the country.

ConsumerConnect reports Haruna Mamman, National President of NANNM, Saturday, August 2, 2025, announced the suspension of the strike at a media briefing, in Abuja, FCT.

Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare

Mamman said the Association reached the decision after an emergency virtual meeting of the National Executive Council, where it reviewed the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government’s representatives.

The National President of NANNM also disclosed that the Federal Government has “agreed to a time-bound implementation of all nine key demands” that the Association had presented for redress.

The nurses and midwives suspended their strike as the leadership of the Association met with the Federal Government’s delegation, led by Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare.

Pate had announced on Friday that the nurses and midwives had called off the strike after the meeting.

It is recalled the nurses and midwives, under the professional association had commenced a warning strike July 29, 2025, following what the union described as the government’s failure to respond meaningfully to its 15-day ultimatum issued July 14, 2025.

On Thursday, the National Chairman of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives – Federal Health Institutions Sector, Morakinyo-Olajide Rilwan, listed the nurses’ demands to include gazetting of the scheme of service for nurses, upward review of allowances, specialty allowances for specialist nurses, employment of more nurses by the government, enhancement of nurses’ remuneration, creation of a department at the Federal Ministry of Health, among others.

Muhammadu Dingyadi, Honourable Minister for Labour, during the days the warning strike lasted, had appealed to the nurses and midwives to suspend their action.

Dingyadi said that it is not the best solution to industrial disputes.

Checks further revealed that the nurses’ strike had caused wide-ranging challenges for several patients and people seeking medical services at public health facilities across the country, and crippled activities in most government hospitals.