Nigerian health workers threaten strike, give 21-day ultimatum

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government, threatening nationwide industrial action if longstanding demands regarding salaries, allowances and welfare are not met.

The President of the association, Bala Audu, made this known at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mr Audu expressed disappointment and condemned a circular issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s (NSIWC) on the consequential adjustment of allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.

He said the circular from the NSIWC violates previous collective bargaining agreements with the government, adding that the recent development has worsened already existing tension among doctors who remain committed to serving in Nigeria despite ongoing challenges.

The statement reads in part “The Nigerian Medical Association expresses grave disappointment and unequivocally condemns the circular purportedly issued to address the consequential adjustment of allowances under the CONMESS for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.

“The circular is grossly inadequate, misleading and constitutes a flagrant violation of the spirit and letter of the agreements painstakingly reached during the collective bargaining process between the NMA and the federal government of Nigeria.

“We want to bring this to the attention of Mr President, President Bola Tinubu, National Assembly and the general public whom we are under oath to always protect and promote their wellbeing.
“We reject this new circular in its entirety and demand a new circular that reflects previous agreements reached.”

Allowances, other demands

Mr Audu stressed that the principles of fairness and justice must guide the adjustment of allowances as previously agreed.

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He said that while the association had submitted the correct salary structure table as requested by the relevant government bodies, it was disappointed to find it was disregarded.

“Our demands include but are not limited to the immediate withdrawal of the circular on review of allowances for medical/dental officers in the federal public service dated 27 June, 2025; immediate correction of consequential adjustments in line with the agreements of 2001, 2009, and 2014 CBAs; immediate correction of the relativity agreed between CONMESS and Consolidated Health Salary Structure and compliance with relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances, and the payment of all accrued backlogs,” he said.

He said the association is also demanding the immediate settlement of all outstanding arrears of 25/35 per cent CONMESS, clinical duty and accoutrement allowances owed to medical and dental practitioners.
It is also demanding the immediate payment of Medical Residency Training Fund for 2025, and review of the MRTF to reflect prevailing economic realities.

Other demands are the immediate convocation of the long-overdue Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations on CONMESS; the immediate Release of the Circular on Clinical Duty and other allowances for honorary consultants as agreed in January 2024.

They are also demanding “the implementation of scarce skills allowances for medical consultants; approval of specialist allowances for all doctors; approval of excess workload allowances for all doctors; adoption of relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances; compliance with CBA of 2021 on hazard allowances; implementation of subsisting CONMESS circular of 2024 for house officers; and universal application of the CONMESS across all Federal and State Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to combat internal brain drain.”

Other demands include the provision of comprehensive health insurance coverage for all medical and dental practitioners; the immediate constitution of management boards for federal hospitals to improve governance and operational efficiency as stipulated in the Acts for Federal Tertiary Institutions.

The health practitioners also request the issuance of a circular implementing the reviewed retirement age for medical and dental practitioners; and the implementation of robust welfare and well-being packages, including comprehensive health and social support for healthcare workers.

They also demand the immediate reversal of the appointment of other healthcare professionals as consultants in hospitals, citing patient safety and the need to maintain medical care standards.

Previous dialogue

The NMA President emphasised that the association has consistently engaged in dialogue with relevant government agencies and the Federal Ministry of Health in good faith and remains committed to continued dialogue as long as their rightful entitlements are appropriately addressed.

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“As a responsible and responsive association that understands and respects values, we have painstakingly and repeatedly engaged in dialogue with the relevant agencies of government and the Federal Ministry of Health,” he said.

He said the association has exhibited so much goodwill and intends to continue the same as long as ‘we get our appropriate and timely dues’.

“We, hereby, expect that attention will be given to our demands within next 21 days to avert disruption in the health services rendered to the Nigerian people,” he said.

The NMA has repeatedly embarked on strike in the past to press home its demands, often resulting in the disruption of healthcare services across public