The National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission has approved an upward review of the uniform allowance for nurses under Federal Government employment from N20,000 to N80,000 per annum. “I hereby convey approval for the implementation of the uniform allowance of N80,000 per annum for nurses in Federal hospitals, medical centres and clinics in MDAs through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System with effect from 1st January 2026. Some of the demands of the nurses include the upward review of shift allowance, adjustment of uniform allowance, a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass employment of nurses, and the establishment of a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health, among others. However, at the heart of the protest was the Federal Government’s N20,000 yearly budget per nurse, a figure the leadership of the healthcare workers described as insulting. Aside from the yearly N20,000 budget, the nurses also revealed that they had been forced to work with inadequate tools and equipment, including gloves, without complaints for several years.

Source: Punch February 07, 2026 12:10 UTC