Nigerian Government Increases Nurses' Uniform Allowance by 300% to N80,000 Annually

The Nigerian government, through the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission, has approved a significant increase in nurses' uniform allowance from N20,000 to N80,000 per annum, a 300% increment. The Nigerian Association of Nurses and Midwives had criticized the previous allowance as grossly insufficient and demanded reforms in the healthcare system, including the establishment of a Directorate of Nursing Services in the Federal Ministry of Health.

The memo, signed by the Chairman of the NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, stated that the new allowance would be effective from January 1, 2026, and would no longer be paid from overhead budgets but through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). The nurses' union had issued a 15-day ultimatum to the government, demanding an immediate intervention to prevent a healthcare shutdown and requesting an upward review of shift allowances, adjustment of uniform allowances, and improvement in nurses' salary structures.

The move was met with protests from healthcare workers who described the previous N20,000 annual budget per nurse as insulting, highlighting years of working with inadequate tools and equipment.