Abuja Nurses Begin Seven-Day Strike Over Pay and Poor Working Conditions
Hospitals in Abuja face major disruptions as nurses protest stalled negotiations and rising cost of living
- Abuja nurses begin seven-day strike over pay and poor conditions
- Healthcare services disrupted as hospitals face severe staff shortages
- Economic reforms widen gap between policy and worker realities
Nurses across Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, began a strike on Wednesday demanding better pay and improved working conditions, intensifying the strain on an already fragile healthcare system amid a deepening cost-of-living crisis.
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives declared a seven-day warning strike after talks with the government collapsed. While government officials, including the health minister’s media adviser Tashikalma Halls, hinted at a meeting with union representatives later that evening, union leaders have not confirmed any scheduled dialogue.
Hospitals in Abuja were severely disrupted, with reports of delayed treatments and overwhelmed facilities as nurses vacated their duties. The strike follows similar labor actions by teachers and clinic staff earlier this year, all pointing to mounting frustration over delayed wage increases from local authorities.
President Bola Tinubu’s recent raise of the minimum wage from 30,000 to 70,000 naira (about $20 to $45) has received international praise, particularly from the IMF, but domestically, it’s done little to offset soaring inflation and rising living costs.
This latest strike highlights the growing disconnect between the government’s economic reforms and the harsh realities faced by frontline workers. With hospitals left crippled and patients in limbo, Abuja’s public health crisis is rapidly worsening.
