Nigeria's health workers suspend strike after 84 days

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has suspended its nationwide strike following an agreement with the federal government to implement overdue salary adjustments and other outstanding demands.

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This was disclosed in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, which also detailed the outcome of JOHESU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held the same day.

“After exhaustive deliberations and review of the terms of settlement of the conciliation meeting, the expanded NEC-in-Session voted unanimously to suspend the ongoing indefinite nationwide strike action to allow for the implementation of the FG-JOHESU Terms of Settlements,” the statement read.

JOHESU members, include health workers in Nigeria’s public hospitals, apart from doctors and nurses.

The Strike

The strike, which began on 15 November 2025, brought public health services across Nigeria to a near halt, leaving patients stranded in hospitals or forced to seek care in private facilities.

JOHESU said the action was triggered primarily by delays in implementing the report of the High-Level Body Committee on Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), which was submitted to the Presidential Committee on Salaries and Wages in 2022.

The union argued that its demand for salary adjustments dates back to 2014, when similar adjustments under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) were implemented for doctors, while non-doctor cadres under CONHESS were left behind in an alleged breach of the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

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JOHESU accused relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of delaying the matter, citing slow prioritisation by the Presidential Committee on Salaries.

According to the union, the decision to embark on the strike followed a unanimous resolution at its Expanded National Executive Council meeting on 14 November 2025, in compliance with Section 41 of the Trade Disputes Act, Cap. T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Emergency Meeting

The strike was called off after a NEC meeting convened in a hybrid format at the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) National Secretariat in Abuja.

The meeting brought together the presidents and general secretaries of JOHESU’s affiliate unions, MHWUN, Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), as well as JOHESU veterans. State chapter chairpersons and secretaries, along with representatives from federal and non-hospital-based health institutions, also participated.

National leaders of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also attended the meeting.

During the session, NEC members reviewed the outcome of a conciliation meeting held on 5 February at the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Terms of the Settlement

The union urged a comprehensive review of all gaps and failures in salary implementation between 2009 and 2026.

The Implementation of the CONHESS adjustment is to commence immediately under JOHESU supervision, while budgetary allocations to fund the adjustments are to be included in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

The government is to withdraw the “No Work, No Pay” directive and commit to paying January 2026 salaries of JOHESU members.

NEC warned that should the federal government fail to fully implement the terms of the settlement, the TUC and the NLC would have no option but to pursue all lawful industrial action to resolve outstanding issues affecting JOHESU members.

NEC further assured that no member who participated in the strike would face sanctions, intimidation, or victimisation.

Previous review sessions

The statement revealed that the JOHESU strike had prompted two review sessions with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoH&SW), presided over by the ministers in charge.

The first took place on 15 January, followed by a second session on 22 January, both aimed at resolving the ongoing trade dispute.

During the 22 January meeting, JOHESU presented a proposal based on the expanded mandate of its NEC, while the ministry responded with a counter-proposal, setting the stage for further negotiations.

The statement further noted that earlier conciliation efforts by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FML&E) had been largely unsuccessful.

The third and decisive meeting was convened as an emergency conciliation session on 5 February, following a 14-day ultimatum issued by the TUC and the NLC to the federal government over the delayed implementation of the CONHESS adjustments.

The session was attended by ministers from Labour, Finance, Health, and State for Health, as well as representatives of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC).

Members to resume work

Following deliberations, JOHESU directed all its members nationwide to return to work with immediate effect from midnight on 6 February.

The union described the resolution as a critical step in restoring public health services and ensuring the welfare of its members.

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Appreciation

JOHESU expressed gratitude to prominent Nigerians who intervened to resolve the strike, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abass, the chairpersons of the Senate and House Committees on Health, the leadership of professional bodies, and traditional rulers, notably the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ojaja II.

The union also thanked the TUC, NLC, and its members for their resilience and solidarity during the strike, urging the federal and state governments to act responsibly to prevent similar disruptions in the future.