FG INCREASES NURSES’ UNIFORM ALLOWANCE TO ₦80,000
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission has approved a significant increase in the uniform allowance for nurses employed by the Federal Government, raising it from ₦20,000 to ₦80,000 annually.
The 300 per cent increase was disclosed in a memo obtained by our correspondent on Thursday.
In July 2025, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) had criticised the ₦20,000 yearly uniform allowance as grossly inadequate, calling for broader structural reforms. These included the creation of a Directorate of Nursing Services within the Federal Ministry of Health, to be led by a registered nurse.
Speaking to journalists, the President of NANNM-FHI, Morakinyo-Olajide Rilwan, said the allowance decision was taken without prior consultation with the association, despite its far-reaching implications for a large segment of healthcare workers.
in the memo signed by the Chairman of the NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, the commission said the implementation would take effect from January 2026.
The memo was addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, while other ministers, including the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, were copied.
It read, “Please refer to your letter No. C.2920/S.4/T2/33 dated 17th November 2025 in connection with the above-mentioned subject.
“I am pleased to communicate the approval for the implementation of a ₦80,000 annual uniform allowance for nurses in Federal hospitals, medical centres, and clinics across MDAs, to be paid through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, effective from January 1, 2026.
“As a result, the allowance will no longer be drawn from overhead allocations, in order to align its payment with other standard allowances processed via IPPIS.”
On July 14, 2025, the nurses’ union issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, calling for urgent action to avert a complete shutdown of healthcare services.
Among the union’s demands were a review of shift allowances, an adjustment of the uniform allowance, the introduction of a distinct salary structure for nurses, an increase in core duty allowances, large-scale recruitment of nurses, and the creation of a nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health, among others.
Central to the protest was the Federal Government’s ₦20,000 annual uniform budget per nurse, which union leaders described as degrading.
In addition to the low yearly allowance, the nurses disclosed that they had endured years of working with insufficient tools and equipment, including gloves, without raising complaints.
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