Nigerian nurses commence nationwide strike today

Nigerian nurses will commence a nationwide strike today to demand improved welfare, fair allowances, and better working conditions for nurses.

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM-FHI) said the strike action became necessary after a 15-day ultimatum, issued on 14 July, expired without a meaningful response from the federal government or Federal Ministry of Health.

“The strike, starting 12 midnight Tuesday, July 29, will involve total service withdrawal across all federal health institutions.

“Nurses nationwide have been asked to comply fully and stand in solidarity,” the union said in a Monday statement.

The seven-day warning strike is expected to end on 5 August. It will involve nurses in public health institutions across the country and is expected to impact health services in public hospitals.

The NANNM reaffirmed nurses’ central role in healthcare delivery. It said its members contribute 60–70 per cent of hospital services and so deserved improved welfare, fair treatment, and recognition for their essential services.

It rejected a 27 June circular from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and demanded adjustments to various allowances, including shift, call duty, and retention.

State chapters of the NANNM have already indicated their willingness to join the strike.

The union’s secretary in Oyo, Emmanuel Aina, said in a statement that nurses in Oyo will join the strike. He said the strike action followed a resolution reached at an emergency meeting of NANNM’s National Executive Council and a subsequent directive from the national headquarters.

“I write to notify you that all nurses and midwives across all healthcare institutions, federal, state, and local government, are directed to embark on a seven-day warning strike.

“The strike is scheduled to commence at midnight on Wednesday, July 30, and will run through August 5, 2025,” the statement read.

Mr Aina urged full compliance, adding that official communication regarding the union’s eight-point demand had been sent to relevant authorities.

“This seven-day warning strike is a litmus test for our readiness to pursue a more serious struggle if our demands are not addressed,” he said.

Mr Aina said that among the union’s key demands is the implementation of the new minimum wage for nurses and other staff at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho.

He added that the union was also calling for the payment of uniform allowances to all nurses and midwives in the service of Oyo State, in accordance with public service rules.

Other key demands include: Mass recruitment of nurses and midwives into the Hospital Management Board and LAUTECH Teaching Hospital to address severe staffing shortages.

Also, implementation of a 25 per cent CONHESS adjustment circular for nurses and midwives in Oyo State service and implementation of enhanced hazard allowances for those working at the local government level.

Mr Aina emphasised that the strike aimed to draw attention to the urgent need for improved welfare and working conditions for nurses and midwives across the state.

Premium Times

Importers undercut Africa’s richest man as fuel prices in Nigeria get more competitive

This time, it is not the refinery that is driving the market, but rather the marketers who are lowering prices.

According to recent investigations by The Punch, numerous filling stations are now selling fuel for less than N860 per litre, which is lower than prices charged by Dangote-linked marketers such as MRS, Heyden, and others in Lagos and Ogun States, which range from N865 to N875.

SGR, a filling station in Ogun State, reportedly reduced its pump price to N847 per litre on Tuesday.

The true game changer, however, is in the ex-depot market.

Importers like Aiteo and Menj have reduced their depot rates to N815 per litre, which is lower than the N820 presently offered by the Dangote refinery.

Chinedu Ukadike, National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, stated that the importers continue to evaluate lower prices.

“Depot owners are dropping their petrol prices. Some of them are selling N815, some are selling N817, while Dangote is selling N820. NNPC is still selling at N825; it has not dropped its prices yet,” he stated.

He also touched on the subject of fuel importation, suggesting that President Bola Tinubu should not to adhere to demands to outlaw the import of petroleum, calling this the beauty of market liberalization.

“This is the beauty of the liberalization of the market. That is why we opined that the President should not ban anybody from importing petroleum products,” he stated.

Nobody should be stopped from bringing in petroleum products. That is the beauty of opening up the market. Implementation and local refining will checkmate unfair pricing. As an indigenous country, you must refine to ensure that you have the best price,” he added.

The decision to cut fuel prices came just a few days after Dangote urged the country’s current administration to ban the importation of fuel.

Speaking at the Global Commodity Insights Conference in Abuja, presented by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in collaboration with S&P Global Insights, Dangote said unequivocally that petroleum products should be listed on the list of prohibited imports.

“The Nigeria First policy announced by His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, should apply to the petroleum product sector and all other sectors,” the Nigerian billionaire stated.

Fuel price wars in Nigeria after the Israel-Iran conflict

Earlier this month, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery initiated the price competition by trimming its gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N880 to N840 per litre, a 4.5% reduction aimed at providing relief to Nigerians grappling with high fuel costs.

Not long after, the refinery again slashed pricing, this time to N820.

These measures were considered noteworthy, especially given the refinery’s past price rises, which were partially motivated by geopolitical concerns in the Middle East, notably the war between Israel and Iran.

At the time, Dangote, along with NNPC and other marketers, retaliated by hiking petroleum prices. However, the refinery quickly flipped, lowering pricing to match the reality of the global oil supply chain.

This is hardly the first price war initiated in the sector.

Late last year and earlier this year, the Dangote Refinery and the NNPC engaged in a fierce battle for the larger shares of the fuel market.

At the height of the price cuts, fuel prices had gone from as high as N1200 per liter to N860, forcing the entire market to react, with some players highlighting the losses they had to endure.

By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa

Related story: Billions wasted on broken refineries - Africa's richest man tells his side of the story

Nigeria kidnappers kill 35 hostages even after ransom paid

Kidnappers in Nigeria have killed at least 35 people they abducted from a village in northern Zamfara state despite ransoms being paid for their release, a local official told the BBC.

In recent years, criminal gangs in the region, known in the country as bandits, have taken to kidnapping people as a means to raise money.

In this incident, 56 people were taken from Banga village, Kauran Namoda local government area in March. The gunmen then demanded a ransom of one million naira ($655; £485) per captive, media in Nigeria report.

Local government chairman Manniru Haidara Kaura said that most of those killed were young people who "were slaughtered like rams".

"What happened was that the bandits demanded ransom money, and after some back-and-forth, they were given what they asked for. They then released 18 people, including 17 women and one young boy, on Saturday," Haidara added.

"Only they [the gunmen] know why they killed them. They are senseless and heartless people. They forget that they are killing their own brothers, and we will all meet before Allah."

Residents said three pregnant women who were among the hostages gave birth while in captivity, but all the new-borns died due to lack of care.

Survivors recounted being forced to witness the brutal killing of fellow hostages before being allowed to leave the forest.

Sixteen of those released on Saturday are in hospital receiving treatment, while the bodies of the 38 killed by the bandits are unlikely to be returned as in these cases corpses are rarely released.

In a statement, the Zamfara government condemned the killings calling them "barbaric and cowardly" and declared that such atrocities added to its resolve to wipe out terrorism from the state.

"To the grieving families, we share your sorrow and pray for strength and healing. To the good people of Zamfara, remain united and vigilant. Report suspicious activities, and together, we will defeat evil."

The government has said that the killers would be brought to justice.

In an attempt to curb the spiralling and lucrative kidnapping industry, a law was enacted in 2022 making it a crime to make ransom payments. It carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years, however no-one has ever been arrested on those charges.

It also made abduction punishable by death in cases where victims die.

But families often feel forced to pay to save their loved ones, citing the government's inability to ensure their safety.

By Chris Ewokor & Mansur Abubakar, BBC

Video - Nigeria women’s team win 10th Africa football crown

The Super Falcons rallied from a 2-0 halftime deficit to beat Morocco 3-2. The win gave Nigeria its 10th CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title. Head coach Justin Madugu was named Coach of the Tournament.

CGTN Africa

Nigeria launches free mobile game that rewards players with cash, airtime and crypto

 

Designed for Nigeria’s mobile-first gamers, Rise & Hustle offers real rewards with no hidden fees.

Nigeria.-In a major shift for Nigeria’s mobile gaming landscape, a new game is set to make waves with a bold promise: play for free and earn for real. Rise & Hustle is designed specifically for Nigeria’s mobile-first population.

Designed for entry-level smartphones, the game uses very little data and skips the usual in-app purchases or pay-to-win features. That makes it a smart choice in a country where mobile gaming dominates and data costs still count.

Mobile gaming makes up 83 per cent of all gameplay in Nigeria, and with 92 per cent of people owning smartphones, Rise & Hustle is launching at just the right time.

More than just a game, it is packed with local slang, street-style art and stories that connect directly with young Nigerians. The colourful design and gameplay show off the humour, grit and spirit of a generation that’s quickly taking over the gaming world in the country.

Now players have the chance to earn in-game cash called Bucks by completing daily “Missions” which include mini-games and street-style challenges. Bucks can be spent on mobile airtime, data bundles, cashback at local stores and on merchandise.


The platform also allows Bucks to be exchanged for Rise Tokens, which run on the Binance Smart Chain, a well-known blockchain made by Binance that handles digital transactions quickly and cheaply. They follow BEP-20, which is a set of rules that helps the tokens work safely and seamlessly with different apps, wallets and services.

Real rewards and squad feature boost experience

Rise & Hustle Co-founder and CEO, Josh Tromans-Jones, said players can now enjoy a profitable gaming experience. “We’re excited to bring Rise & Hustle to Nigeria, where every tap, grind and level-up earns you Bucks that you can turn into airtime, Rise crypto and real rewards from our partners,” he said, according to the Guardian.

At the heart of Rise & Hustle is the Squad feature. It lets players team up, work together and share rewards. When one player earns Bucks, the whole squad benefits, encouraging teamwork while keeping the fun going.

Tromans-Jones said the game zeroes in on what Nigerian gamers really want and delivers. “Gamers in Lagos, Abuja and across Nigeria are done with games that only take their data and give nothing back. Rise & Hustle changes the game by delivering entertainment and real-world tangible rewards.

“Our proprietary rewards engine is built to benefit players at every level of the game from Missions (daily challenges and tasks) through to Squads, and we’re proud to launch the game here in Nigeria.”

Rise & Hustle has launched at a time when Nigerian gamers are eager for real value and aims to give players a genuine chance to earn rewards for their time spent playing. With no hidden fees and multiple ways to cash in, the platform shows that gaming can be both entertaining and rewarding.

Focus Africa

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