FG increases nurses’ uniform allowance to N80,000

The Federal Government has approved an increase in the annual uniform allowance for nurses in its employment, raising it from N20,000 to N80,000.

The approval was granted by the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission (NSIWC) and represents a 300 per cent increase from the previous allowance. The decision was contained in a memo sighted on Thursday.

The memo, signed by the Chairman of the commission, Ekpo Nta, stated that the new allowance would take effect from January 1, 2026. It was addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, with copies sent to 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.

According to the memo, the N80,000 uniform allowance will apply to nurses in federal hospitals, medical centres and clinics across ministries, departments and agencies, and will be paid through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). As a result, the allowance will no longer be funded from overhead budgets.

The review follows sustained agitation by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), which in July 2025 described the N20,000 annual uniform allowance as grossly inadequate. The association also called for broader reforms, including the creation of a Directorate of Nursing Services at the Federal Ministry of Health to be headed by a registered nurse.

The President of NANNM-FHI, Morakinyo-Olajide Rilwan, had criticised the earlier allowance, noting that it was introduced without consultation with the union despite its impact on a large segment of healthcare workers.

On July 14, 2025, the union issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, warning of a possible shutdown of healthcare services if its demands were not addressed. Among the demands were a review of shift and uniform allowances, a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass recruitment of nurses, and the establishment of a nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health.

Union leaders said the N20,000 annual uniform budget per nurse was at the centre of the dispute, describing it as insulting. They also complained of long-standing shortages of essential tools and equipment, including gloves, which nurses were often forced to provide themselves.