Here is a roundup of some Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-driven demands for government action in addressing citizens’ concerns.
1. Daily Trust: Nurses’ Strike: Patients Stranded at Hospitals Nationwide
Patients, particularly at federal health institutions, were left stranded yesterday as nurses, under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), began a seven-day nationwide warning strike.
The strike, which followed the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued by NANNM to the federal government, disrupted healthcare services across Nigeria.
Our Take: The Minister of Health, Ali Pate and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi should urgently engage in meaningful dialogue with NANNM to address their grievances and avert further disruption to healthcare services.
2. The Guardian: Suspended School Feeding Initiative Leave Nine Million Pupils, 250,000 Jobs Stranded
The fate of over nine million pupils hangs in the balance as uncertainty clouds the Federal Government’s National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
The programme’s uncertain future, with the end of H1 2025, threatens the livelihoods of over 250,000 individuals, including cooks, farmers, and other stakeholders, who depend on it for income.
Our Take: It is deeply troubling that, despite the suspension of the programme 18 months ago and the setting up of a review panel in 2024, implementation has yet to resume, while budgetary allocations continue, with N160 billion earmarked in the 2025 budget. This raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the welfare of its most vulnerable citizens. We call on the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun and the Minister of Education, Morufu Alausa to shed light on factors that are stalling the re-commencement of the NHGSFP .
3. ThisDayLive: NNPC: We Have No Plans to Sell Port Harcourt Refinery
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has officially ruled out any plan to sell the Port Harcourt Refining Company, reaffirming its commitment to completing high-grade rehabilitation and retention of the plant.
Our Take: The federal government and NNPC must be held accountable for the protracted and problematic rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, which has consumed billions of dollars with little to show in terms of tangible output. While the decision not to sell the refinery may signal a commitment to national ownership, it must be matched with transparent timelines, independent oversight, and clear communication on progress. Nigerians deserve more than ceremonial reopenings and recycled promises.
