By Kelu Musa/ Joan Nwagwu
Nurses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called for urgent pay reforms based on workload as Nigeria marks this year’s May Day celebration.
Dr Jama Medan, Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), FCT Chapter, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Medan spoke on the sidelines of the 2026 May Day celebration which had “Insecurity, Poverty: Bane of Decent Work” as its theme.
He said May Day should go beyond celebrations and serve as a platform for government to address worsening conditions facing Nigerian workers.
According to him, nurses are working under severe pressure caused by insecurity, economic hardship and poor health infrastructure across the country.
“We are calling for a pay system that reflects the actual workload of nurses, not just a flat minimum wage.
“One nurse is now doing the work of several people, yet remuneration does not reflect this reality.
“May Day should move beyond celebration and become a moment for real reforms in workers’ welfare,” he said.
Medan raised concern over increasing insecurity, including kidnapping, “one chance” robberies and attacks targeting health workers commuting to and from duty posts.
He said some nurses had been abducted and killed, including a staff member of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, after returning from duty.
According to him, insecurity has made movement unsafe for health workers, especially those on night and shift duties across Abuja and neighbouring communities.
The union leader also decried worsening economic hardship, saying fuel price increases and rising transport costs had further reduced workers’ purchasing power.
He said workers earning between ₦70,000 and ₦80,000 monthly could hardly cope with rising costs of rent, food, school fees and medical expenses.
Medan lamented severe shortage of nurses in FCT hospitals, saying one nurse now attends to between 30 and 35 patients, far above WHO recommended standards.
He warned that excessive workload had increased burnout and risk of medical errors, while poor infrastructure and lack of recruitment continued to weaken healthcare delivery.
Medan linked poor welfare and unconducive working conditions to the growing “Japa” trend and called for improved recruitment, infrastructure, social protection and workload-based pay reform.