On Thursday, July 31, 2025, the Federal Government approved the National Industrial Relations Policy (NIRP) 2025 to address frequent strikes and foster workplace harmony, as announced by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja. The NIRP aims to regulate trade unions, employers, and government interactions, promoting tripartite cooperation and aligning Nigeria’s labor practices with International Labour Organization (ILO) standards. Idris noted that the policy addresses the absence of a comprehensive framework, which has fueled industrial unrest, such as the ongoing seven-day warning strike by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions Sector, which began on July 30, 2025, disrupting services in 74 federal hospitals.
NANNM’s National Chairman, Morakinyo-Olajide Rilwan, insisted the strike, triggered by unmet demands including a separate salary structure, increased shift allowances (from 6.8% to 30% of basic salary), mass employment of 10,000 unemployed nurses, and a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health, will continue until a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is secured. Despite a meeting with Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi on July 29, talks stalled due to absent key stakeholders, like the Health Minister and Head of Civil Service. Coordinating Health Minister Prof. Alli Pate announced the withdrawal of a contentious circular on health workers’ allowances and ongoing negotiations with NANNM and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to resolve financial and non-financial issues, such as centralized nurse postings, with further talks scheduled for August 1. Pate also noted FEC’s approval of an Oncology Centre at University College Hospital, Ibadan, signaling health sector reforms.
Organised Labour, led by NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC President Festus Osifo, condemned government interference in union affairs, citing attempts to divide the NLC and TUC to weaken workers’ welfare advocacy. Ajaero, speaking during a visit by the Radio, Television and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU), criticized security agencies’ meddling and government control over workers’ funds like the NSITF and PenCom, urging adherence to ILO principles. Osifo, via TUC Secretary-General Dr. Nuhu Toro, vowed solidarity to resist such tactics. Rilwan emphasized nurses’ patience despite poor conditions, warning that the strike, set to end on August 5, could escalate with a 21-day notice if demands remain unmet, as 25,000 nurses demand urgent action to address staff shortages and unsafe conditions. X posts from @DailyTrust on July 30 highlighted public concern over healthcare disruptions, urging swift resolution.
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