The Minister of Health, Ali Pate, has announced that the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called off its strike after reaching an agreement with the government.
Pate spoke to journalists on Friday, shortly after a closed-door meeting with leaders of the nurses’ union in Abuja. He said both sides had found a way forward.
“We have had fruitful discussions, and the strike has been called off,” the minister confirmed.
However, the union leaders declined to speak to the media after the meeting.
The nurses and midwives had started a warning strike on July 29, 2025, to protest poor working conditions, low pay, and lack of government response to their 15-day ultimatum issued on July 14. The strike affected public hospitals and was scheduled to last until August 5.
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The union had earlier said that their demands included better welfare, a new salary structure, improved shift and uniform allowances, more staff employment, and the creation of a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health.
During the strike, NANNM National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan, accused the government of ignoring their concerns.
“There has been no communication from the government. That is why the strike is going on. Even if they call now, it won’t stop it. They had enough time,” Rilwan had said earlier in the week.
He also made it clear that the strike was not a top-down decision but a result of the frustration felt by nurses across the country.
The Health Minister did not share full details of the agreement, but his announcement brings hope that normal services in public health facilities will resume soon.