Nurses in Nigeria's public hospitals began a seven-day "warning" strike on Wednesday, demanding improved remuneration, better working conditions and increased recruitment, after a two-week ultimatum to the government expired without resolution.

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) warned that if their demands are not met by next week, the union will embark on an indefinite strike, the first in over two decades.

"We hope that before the seventh day, we'll have attention and a positive response from the federal government," said Christianah Adeboboye, head of the nurses' and midwives' union in Lagos.

A meeting on Tuesday between the union and a government delegation led by Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi ended in a stalemate.

"When you look at the composition of the meeting, it already shows that no outcome could have been gotten out of that meeting," said Toba Odumosu, union secretary in Lagos, citing the absence of Health Minister Ali Pate as a critical gap.

The impasse highlights the growing divide between healthcare workers and the government, leaving patients vulnerable as hospitals prepare for further disruptions.

The union is advocating for the recruitment of more nurses, citing a sharp decline in personnel, as over 42,000 nurses have left Nigeria for jobs abroad in the past three years, according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.