Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system is facing renewed tension after a nurses’ advocacy group accused the Federal Government of discrimination over the alleged nonpayment of January salaries to nurses in federal health institutions.
The Elegant Nurses Forum (ENF) said the delay, reportedly affecting nurses while doctors and other hospital workers were paid, has deepened frustration within a workforce widely regarded as the backbone of patient care.
The accusation comes even as the Federal Ministry of Health has formally asked the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to reverse what it described as an “erroneous” stoppage of the nurses’ wages.
In a statement signed Thursday by Nurse Thomas Abiodun Olamide, the forum condemned the development as “unjust, discriminatory and unacceptable,” warning that the situation is rapidly eroding morale across federal hospitals.
“This development is disturbing, unfair and discriminatory. It represents a serious act of injustice against a group of professionals who play one of the most critical roles in the healthcare system,” the statement read.
A System Under Pressure
The dispute emerges at a time when Nigeria’s health sector is grappling with chronic workforce shortages, rising emigration of medical professionals, underfunded facilities and repeated labour disputes—factors experts say have left hospitals dangerously stretched.
Against that backdrop, the ENF stressed that nurses provide round-the-clock care, administer treatments, monitor patients and often serve as the first responders during emergencies.
“Nurses are the backbone of patient care. Without nurses, there is no effective healthcare delivery,” the group said.
The forum also emphasised that nurses are no longer members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and did not participate in recent industrial actions that disrupted services in parts of the sector.
According to the group, while other workers withdrew services during the strike period, nurses remained on duty to sustain operations.
“While others stepped away, nurses continued caring for patients, preventing avoidable deaths and supporting all departments to keep the system from collapsing,” the statement added.
‘No Work, No Pay’—Applied in Error?
Documents reviewed by The PUNCH indicate that the salary stoppage may have resulted from a lien placed by the Accountant General’s office, which allegedly believed nurses had joined the JOHESU strike.
However, in a memo signed by Dafeta Tetshoma, Director in the Office of the Permanent Secretary, the Ministry of Health clarified that nurses did not embark on the strike and should not have been affected by the Federal Government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy.
“I am to inform you that nurses in Federal Tertiary Health Institutions did not participate in the JOHESU strike as the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives formally withdrew its membership of JOHESU with effect from 2023,” the memo stated.
The ministry warned that the nonpayment has caused “undue economic hardship” for nurses and their families despite their continued professional duties, urging the Accountant General to direct the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to process the salaries immediately “to forestall industrial disharmony.”
Growing Anger Among Nurses
For many nurses, the delay is particularly painful given what the forum described as their sacrifices during recent disruptions.
“Paying some categories of health workers while leaving nurses unpaid is not only insensitive but a clear act of marginalisation and victimisation,” the ENF said, stressing that salaries are earned entitlements, not privileges.
The group warned that prolonged delays could trigger financial hardship, emotional strain and worsening morale among workers who already operate under demanding and high-risk conditions.
Five Key Demands
The forum called for:
- Immediate payment of all outstanding January salaries
- Equal and fair treatment for healthcare workers
- A transparent explanation for the delay
- An end to what it described as victimisation
- Structural safeguards to prevent future occurrences
It urged the Federal Government, the Health Ministry and hospital administrators to act swiftly.
“Respect for nurses must go beyond words; it must be reflected in fair treatment and prompt payment of earned salaries,” the statement added.
A Familiar Fault Line
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives formally withdrew from JOHESU in May 2023, saying its objectives within the union had been achieved and allowing the body to pursue independent negotiations.
Yet the latest salary controversy highlights how administrative missteps can quickly inflame tensions in a sector where even minor disruptions can have life-or-death consequences.
With Nigeria already battling doctor shortages and growing reliance on overstretched nursing staff, analysts warn that any policy failure affecting frontline caregivers risks further destabilising an already vulnerable healthcare system.
