Nigeria Federal Government Boosts Nurses’ Uniform Allowance to N80,000

In a significant policy shift aimed at improving healthcare worker welfare, the Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a 300 % increase in the annual Uniform Allowance for Nurses employed in Federal Hospitals, Medical Centres and Clinics.

The National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission (NSIWC) authorised the increase from N20,000 to N80,000 per year, with implementation to start from January 1, 2026 through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). The allowance will now be integrated into regular payroll processing rather than paid from overhead costs.

According to the memo obtained by Global Mirror News, the directive was signed by NSIWC Chairman Ekpo Nta and addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, with copies sent to the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare.

The move responds to longstanding criticism from the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), which had repeatedly described the previous N20,000 rate as grossly inadequate and demeaning given rising costs in the healthcare sector.

In 2025, NANNM leadership issued an ultimatum over poor compensation, warning of a possible nationwide healthcare disruption if demands — including higher uniform and shift allowances, a separate salary structure, and improved working conditions — were not met.

The new uniform allowance is part of broader debates over Nurse welfare, retention, and professional recognition amid chronic staff shortages and economic pressures affecting Nigeria’s public health system.